Reliefs on pier 2

The Gothic fa�ade of the Orvieto Cathedral is one of the great masterpieces of the Late Middle Ages. The bas-reliefs on the piers depict biblical stories from the Old and New Testament. They are considered among the most famous of all 14th-century sculpture.

The contract of 1310 did allow Maitani to retain some assistants for the sculptural work on the fa�ade, but it seems likely that these craftsmen had already begun the work under the supervision of an earlier master. The reliefs on pier 2 and pier 3 are by these craftsmen.

The reliefs on pier 2 depict the Tree of Jesse with scenes from the Old Testament (Messianic Prophesies). In the centre, below, there is Abraham sleeping. An acanthus (Tree of Jesse), growing vertically, draws with its branches a series of circles, in which David, Salomon, Roboan, Abiah, Asah, Josaphat, the Virgin Mary and the Redeemer are represented.

1st panel:

Abraham is sleeping: at his side there are the judges of Israel having in their hands the sheets on which the prophecies are written.

2nd panel:

The skeleton of Abraham in a sarcophagus and some judges of Israel.

3rd panel:

The unction of David. Samuel, having left Saul, who had broken the Lord’s orders, is sent to Bethlehem to consecrate one of Jesse’s sons as king of Israel. David, the youngest one of his eight sons, was elected. Samuel pours on the head of the child the oil contained in a horn. Behind him there are Jesse and the other seven sons, two of which bears the cloths for the rite - a clear analogy with the baptism of Christ. Gideon is wringing the fleece wet with dew. The fleece is the symbol of the Virgin, who would have accepted the will of God, symbolized by the dew. The prophecy on Balaam. Balaam thrashes an ass; an angel stops him with his sword.

4th panel:

God, standing, speaks to Moses, kneeling. Illustration of the Messiah’s coming. This scene was erroneously interpreted as Moses saved from the waters.

5th panel:

The waters of Redemption. The scene here represented probably has been taken from one of the visions of Ezekiel, who in the symbolical town, saw the waters flowing under the threshold of the Temple. The waters probably mean the baptismal lavacre spreading all over the world. After this scene; there is Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. This king saw in a dream a giant with his head of gold and breast of silver; his legs and feet of iron and clay. The giant is killed by a stone fallen down from a mountain. According to some, the stone symbolized the Redeemer.

6th panel:

The vision of Ezekiel. He saw in heaven a ‘group’ formed by an Angel, a lion, a winged bull and an eagle. The ‘group’ (the symbols of the four Evangelists) is completed by two Cherubs standing around the image of Jesus, while the Prophet is lying on the ground in deep meditation. The cycle of prophecies goes on with that of Isaiah. According to the prophet, after the coming of the Messiah live would have changed; peace would have reigned and all, including the animals, (here represented while watering at the same spring), would have lived in perfect harmony. The panel is completed by the prophecy of the Virgin and Emmanuel (Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son).

7th panel:

The Corner Stone. The New Church is born out of a squared stone (symbol of Christ). In this representation, the Redeemer is standing on the stone supported by four figures (some think that they are the believers come from all over the world). Then there is the vision of Zachariah: the prophet saw in a dream a man on horseback, followed by other horses. Some think that the man on horse-back symbolizes the God of the armies, sent by the Father to convert all the people of the earth; the other horses would represent the Apostles.

8th panel:

The prophecy of Micah. The repudiation of Jerusalem and the exaltation of Bethlehem. God curses a woman symbolizing Jerusalem. The balance, which the hand of God holds up; symbolizes Justice, while the torch, which a sitting man holds up, represents Truth.

9th panel:

Moses on Mt. Sinai. This scene has been variously interpreted. Some think that Moses did not talk with God the Father, but with His Son; who had taken the form of an angel. Others think that it is the Annunciation to Zachariah. Prophecies of the Crucifixion: On the two sides of the Cross, as it has been described by Joel, the sun and the moon get dark.

1Oth panel:

The angel flies towards the Madonna. The Virgin is represented on a throne, on the tree of Jesse.