Page 2
University Daily Kansan
Friday. Dec. 9. 1960
Humanities Forum
Stokstad Discusses Style of Master Matthew
(Editor's Note; The following excerpts are from a Humanities Forum talk by Marilyn Stokstad, assistant professor of the history of art. Prof. Stokstad spent the summer examining the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain.)
One of the major problems which has confronted students of medieval sculpture, and particularly those interested in Spanish Romanesque sculpture, is the question of the origin of the style of Master Matthew who directed the work on the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in the second half of the Twelfth Century. Between the latest sculpture remaining on the Puerta de las Platerias (Door of the Silversmiths) and Matthew's masterpiece, the remarkably well documented Portico de la Gloria (the principal entrance to the cathedral) of 1168-88, is a gap of a generation. Obviously it is during this period that the style of Matthew must have been formed.
SOME PIECE of sculpture definitely known to be from the original west facade of the cathedral, whose date falls during the crucial period, has been desperately needed in Compostelan studies to serve as a basis for comparison and further study. For the past ten years excavations have been carried out beneath the cathedral. Five fragments of sculpture have been found in the foundations of the Portico de la Gloria during the most recent excavations.
When the pieces were cleaned, it was seen that they were parts of human figures from the old west facade which was destroyed by Master Matthew to make room for his own work. The most important fragment is a large figure in two pieces, lacking head and hands. It was identified by the archeologist, Sr. Chamoso Lamas, as a standing male figure, probably Moses, from the scene of the Transfiguration mentioned in the Pileirers Guide.
After a comparison of the figure with other works in Spain and France, it becomes evident that the
figure may be either seated or standing, and that it is certainly a female figure, and probably represents the Virgin of the Annunciation, Visitation, or Presentation, or one of the Marys at the tomb. The drapery obviously forms the tunic, closed mantle, wimple, and veil worn by noble ladies in the twelfth century.
THE SCULPTURE may be dated in the middle years of the twelfth century on the basis of its style and the economic and political conditions in Santiago. It was certainly done before 1153 when Martin Martinez, Bishop of Oviedo, became Archbishop of Santiago. In the next year, Prince Ferdinand became King of Leon and Galicia. The two men were enemies, and soon the fortunes of the cathedral sunk so low that the chapter was forced to sell some of its property in order to meet obligations.
Not until the election of Pedro Gudesteiz in 1168 to the See of Compostela did the king again extend his patronage, and we may imagine the cathedral works shop bu-
Hungary Says UN Report is False
UNITED NATIONS, N. Y.-(UFI)
Hungary said that the continued presence of Soviet troops in Hungary was no business of the U.N., it was reported today.
Janos Peter, chairman of the Hungarian delegation, charged that a report on the "Question of Hungary" tried to use the UN for the strategic purposes of the NATO powers against Hungary and the Soviet Union. That report is false, he said.
Peter said the U.N. report falsifies the background of the Hungarian situation, and was timed deliberately to reflect unfavorably on the Communist block at a time when the General Assembly is debating the issue of colonialism.
ing revived by Matthew about this time.
be seen between Santiago and the "Burgundian" narthex of the Church of San Vicente in Avila now seems to come by way of Carrion.
Pethaps the most remarkable aspect of the new finds at Santiago is their similarity to Carrion de los Condes and their lack of relationship to the style of Master Matthews' shop as seen on the Portico de la Gloria.
Master Matthew changed the style of the sculpture from late Romanicque to his own individual version of early Gothic, which is as revolutionary as are the Cathedrals of Sentinel and Lion.
the Compostelan shop, or some of its members, moving to Carrion about 1155, the apostolado of Carrion de los Condes (1160-53), the Christ of Carrion de los Condes (1165-70), the west facade of San Vicente, Avilla (1165-70), and finally the tomb of the martyrts in Avilla.
Thus one mid-century line of development in Spain could be as follows; the original facade of the Cathedral of Santiago (1140-50) with
Thus the Portico de la Gloria was a totally new creation in Compostella, and the sculpture which we have studied vanished into the stone pile and thence into the foundations. Nevertheless, the masters of the original facade were in a way avenged; for in the eighteenth century, Master Matthew's Portico was itself hidden behind another facade, the magnificent facade of the Obra-dorio which today dominates the city and surrounding countryside.
In studying stylistic relationships between the newly discovered ligatures at Santiago and other mid-century Spanish sculpture, one notes a strong similarity to the work of the Master of the Christ of the Church of Santiago at Carrion de los Condes. In this great figure the styles of Burgundy and Languedoc are combined with such vigor that an entirely new version of the late "pilgrimage style" (as this phase of the Spanish Romanesque is called) is created.
AT THE SAME TIME the origin of the style of the Santiago figures seems to lie in Burgundy and south-western France, not in Spain. Furthermore, such resemblance as may
Weaver's Lingerie Shop - Street Floor