The Sculptures of the Judgement Porch of Lincoln Cathedral

Monument suprême du gothique anglais, le Portail du Jugement de la cathédrale de Lincoln est révélé ici, pour la première fois, dans toute sa complexité artistique, historique et symbolique. S’appuyant sur de nouvelles photographies et sur une analyse minutieuse menée depuis les échafaudages, cet ouvrage transforme un portail célébré en une étude de référence sur la sculpture médiévale et les pratiques d’atelier. Lincoln Cathedral is one of the greatest buildings of medieval Europe, remarkable both for its architectural form and its sculptural treasures. The Angel Choir, erected at the east end of the cathedral between 1256 and 1280, is celebrated for the richness of its interior decoration, but the great portal on its south side has until now not been the subject of a dedicated monograph. The Judgement Porch – so-called because of the subject matter of the tympanum, showing Christ present at the Last Judgement, with angels, devils, the blessed and the damned – is one of the key monuments of English Gothic sculpture, and the present publication demonstrates its importance with a detailed investigation of the doorway’s history, iconography, facture and style. Paul Williamson’s text is accompanied by a comprehensive series of photographs, many taken especially for this book, with details illustrating the less well-known sculptures, including the voussoir figures of the arch. Every one of the individual sculptures of the voussoirs, showing queens, kings, the Wise and Foolish Virgins, and the Apostles, have been photographed; together with the relief sculptures of the tympanum and the flanking life-size statues connected with the sculptural programme, they collectively demonstrate the extremely high quality of the work at Lincoln. The book traces the long and complex life of the portal, from its medieval conception through centuries of damage, renewal and reinterpretation, clarifying the impact of iconoclasm and restoration from the sixteenth century onwards. It explores the meaning and ambition of the sculptural programme within its English and Continental context, and presents a close physical reading of the sculptures based on first-hand examination from scaffolding, revealing workshop practice and approaches to carving and colour. The formation of a distinctive Lincoln style is set against earlier work at Westminster, and the careers of the cathedral sculptors are followed where they can be recovered. An epilogue turns to the present and future, confronting the difficult questions of conservation, replacement and survival that surround this extraordinary ensemble.