Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris: 
Portal of the Last Judgment (c.1230)
The three west portals of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris are magnificent examples of early Gothic art. The central west portal was sculpted last of the three, in the 1220s and 1230s, and its theme is the Last Judgment.
The portal has had a bit of turbulent history in the last few centuries. In 1771, the trumeau (post between the doors) and the central section of the two lintels of the tympanum were removed in order to make room for the canopy over the Holy Sacrament that was carried through the central portal during processions. At the same time, the original 13th-century doors were replaced by new ones with sculptures of Christ carrying His cross and a sorrowful Virgin.
Two decades later, in 1792, revolutionaries destroyed the large jamb statues of the apostles. During the major restoration campaign in the mid-1800s, Viollet-le-Duc restored the portal to its original state by replacing the wise and foolish virgins, the trumeau and the jamb statues.
Below is an illustrated guide to the fully restored and recently cleaned Portal of the Last Judgment. Click on any image to enlarge.
Full view of the Last Judgment Portal.
Tympanum ---> Christ in Majesty with an emphasis on his sacrifice for humanity. |
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Christ displays his wounds, flanked by angels with instruments of the Passion (spear and cross). On the left and right are kneeling figures of the Virgin Mary and St. John, who were present at the crucifixion. |
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The Redeemed |
Weighing of Souls by the Archangel Michael, with a furry Devil's interference |
The Damned |
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<--- Lower Lintel of Tympanum ---> Resurrection of the Dead At the sound of the angels' trumpets, the dead emerge from their tombs on their own power, fully enfleshed, calm, and poised. |
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Left Jamb Apostles Bartholomew, Simon, James the Less, Andrew, John, and Peter. |
Trumeau Christ teaching, with the Liberal Arts beneath his feet. |
Right Jamb Apostles Paul, James the Great, Thomas, Philip, Jude, and Matthew. |
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<--- Archivolts, 2nd Row from Bottom ---> <--- Martyr, saint and Moses Falling figure ---> |
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<--- Archivolts, Bottom Row---> <--- Saints and Abraham's Bosom (heaven) Disturbing scenes of the torments of the damned in hell ---> |
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Panels and Medallions Along the Bottom 14 pairs of Virtues and Vices - virtues depicted symbolically in a medallion held by a female figure; vices represented with an action scene |
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<--- Abutments ---> <--- Wise Virgins Foolish Virgins ---> |
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Article Sources
- Personal visits (most recent July 22, 2008).
- Cathedral for Art and History - official website
