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This is the
nartex or west portico in the elder church. Panteon de los Reyes (Crypt
of the Kings), is the burial place of several kings and queens of Leon
(almost 33 members of the ancient Court of Leon).
The crypt is a building
with a square plant and three aisles.
The Chapel of the Arcs, thus called because it links the enclosure of the Pantheon with the wall with vaults and arcs.
The chronology of the Crypt is not very accurate: formerly, it was sure
the date of 1063, when King Fernando Ist consecrated the church. So uncertain
is the date of the wall paintings, although they would to be done before
1149, date of the consecration of the new church.
The crypt has 38 capitals. Some of them have vegetable decoration, others
fable or anthropomorphical figures, like two at the elder door of the
temple: these are the first capitals to represent biblical scenes; one
of them, the reviving of Lazarus, the other, the cure of the leper.
The six vaults are fully decorated with wallpaintings, so beautiful and
vaste that the place has been called the Capella Sixtina of the Mid Age.
Made in tempera on white stucco. The scenes are encircled into decorative
fringes. The artist or artists are unknown, and the paintings have an
amount of influences. There is a great deal of literature about "what"
is represented in these vaults, but it appears to be certain the pictures
are some kind of lesson for illiterate people.
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Six
human figures, Christ with a cross-shaped halo, two women with bonnets,
Marta and Maria, two disciples and, finally, Lazarus, coming out of his
grave.
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Christ,
with a cross-shaped halo and the emblem IHS, lays his hand on the leper's
head, who's on his knees. At His left, two apostles, one of them is St.
Peter, carrying a big key.
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Paintings:
ANNUNCIATION TO THE SHEPHERDS
This rustic scene is the top of the romanic wall painting as well
as an attestation of the shepherds culture in the mountain of Leon.
The shepherds of Bethlehem change places with the mountain shepherds
of Leon. The angel announces the shepherds the Birth of Christ, while
a herd of pigs eat acorns from a tree, some goats and sheep are grazing,
a mastiff drinks milk from a shepherd's bowl, two hegoats fight, a shepherd
plays a corn and another one strikes up on a flageolet.
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Detail
of the Annuntiation. Click for seeing the whole picture
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THE
SLAYING OF THE INNOCENTS
The scene is framed by arches and corinthian columns, as a vague
reference of a urban atmosphere. In the centre of the painting, King
Herod commands and observes the slaughter of the kingdom male children
by the soldiers. The subject is shown with a great realism and expresiveness.
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Detail
of the Slaying of the Innocents. Click on image for seeing
the whole picture
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HOLY
DINNER
The last dinner of Christ elapses into a palace atmosphere; Jesuschrist
acts as chairman, and the bearded apostles wear classical clothes and
halos (except Tadeus); they are talking. The cock appears in an angle
of the painting.
THE
CAPTURE
The centre of the vault is occupied by the scenes in the Garden
of Olives, the kiss of Judas and the attack from Peter to Malco.
VISION
OF ST.
JOHN
Besides the Pantocrator and the Agricole Calendar we can see
a picture showing what's narrated in the Apocalypse Book (I, 11-16):
"What you see, write it in a book and send it to the seven churches,
to Ephesus, Esmyrna, Pergamus, Tiatyra, Sardes, Philadelphia, Laodicea...I
saw seven golden candlesticks..."
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Detail
of the Vision of Saint John. Click on image for seeing the whole
picture
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PANTHOCRATOR
This is the central vault of the crypt: Christ Panthocrator, or the
Creator of the Universe. The theme is framed by a fringe drawing flames,
clouds or waves. In the very centre, as usual, a Majestic Christ into
a mystic mandorla (almond). He's blessing us and carries a book. As a
background, the celestial vault, the alfa and omega symbols. Around Him,
the Tetramorphos, or the symbols and names of the four Gospel writers:
Mateus Omo (Man), Marcus Leo (Lion), Lucas Vitulo (Beef) y Johannes Apulia
(Eagle).
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Detail
of Panthocrator. Click on image for seeing the whole picture
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AGRICULTURAL ALMANAC
This well known painting is drawn along the inner part of an arch.
January (Genuarius)
is Ianus Bifronte, the bi-faced man that closes last year and opens
the new one, both symbolized by two doors.
February (Februarius) is an oldman, warming himself in front
of the fireplace.
March (Marcius), a man loping off the vines.
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April (Aprilis), a man planting two trees.
May (Magius), a man riding to the war.
June (Iunius), the husbandman is mowing the barley.
July (Iulii), the husbandman is mowing the wheat.
August (Agustus), hammering the ripe wheat with a manal, an ancient
instrument still used.
September (Setenber), the grape harvest.
October (October), giving acorns to the pigs.
November (Novenber), the pork slaughter.
December (Decenber), a man sitting at the table in front of the
fireplace.
The
almanac is a subject in which the artist makes a portrait of the real
life in Leon on that days.
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