The Last Judgment Tympanum

Gislebertus was a French sculptor who made major contributions to the Cathedral of Saint-Lazare in Autun and to several Burgundian churches from 1125 to 1135.

Among Gislebertus’ most noted works is the tympanum sculpture of the western doorway of the cathedral at Autun, depicting the Last Judgment. This work is noted for its expressionistic carving and technical proficiency; some of the figures are abstract in design, and the demon forms foreshadow 20th-century Surrealism. His sculpture for the northern doorway is a reclining, nude “Eve,” a medieval masterpiece. Also at Autun the sculptor created 60 capitals in the interior and doorways, most of which illustrate biblical stories and reflect the artist’s far-reaching imagination. Some of the capitals that depict Christ’s infancy are gentle and tender, but the tympanum contains fierce and frightening scenes of judgment and damnation.

This  grand sculptural depiction of the Last Judgment, showcasing Christ in the center with angels, apostles, and the resurrected dead around Him.

Christianity considers the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to entail the final judgment by God of all people who have ever lived, resulting in the approval of some and the penalizing of most. The concept is found in all the canonical gospels, particularly in the Gospel of Matthew.

This stone sculpture is located at Cathedral of Saint-Lazare, Autun, France