The Tympanum of the South Portal at St.
Hilarian de Perse
Early 12th century
Sandstone
Eglise
de St. Hilarian de Perse, Espalion, France
The lower register is a rather busy image of the Last Judgment: at left
are Satan enthroned in Hell and the Hell mouth (see detail), the psychostasy or weighing of souls (see detail), and Christ enthroned in a
mandorla and surrounded by the symbols of the four evangelists (see detail).
The two registers above represent the Pentecost event. In the
middle register, Mary stands in the middle of the apostles (see detail). (Curiously, there are
only ten.) Above her is a representation of the dove and the
tongues of fire (see detail).
The medallions with the sun (see detail)
and moon (see detail) are unusual for
a Pentecost image; we see them more often in Crucifixion scenes, to
represent the eclipse that followed the death of Jesus.
Back up to view
entire south portal
More of the Last Judgment
More of Pentecost
Photographed at the
site by Richard Stracke