The Gothic Portal Sculpture with the Legend of Theophilus, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Paris

Tien Pham

             While learning about medieval art, there are a vast amount of works that depict the glory and holiness of God and Jesus Christ, the horrors of Hell, and the holy figures that live their lives in a way to become saints or bishops. These stories idealize the figures and can feel like rules people had to follow to receive salvation. Fortunately, the Legend of Theophilus is different.

            The portal with the Legend of Theophilus is located on the outer walls of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, specifically on the North Transept, and was carved during the mid-1200s. Each area of the Cathedral is carved beautifully with Gothic sculptures that ornament the building. While walking closer to the building, the amount of art depicted on the outer walls of the Cathedral was stunning, yet overwhelming. With a structure so large, I felt intimidated by the size alone. But there was a story on that wall that showed some humanity and comfort to me.

Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, view of the West. Begun 1163. (Photo: Tien Pham)

This work of art is found within the tympanum of the North Portal, surrounded by archivolts. The tympanum is divided into three sections, and the Legend of Theophilus is depicted in the middle, second section. The legend is depicted in four scenes: Theophilus make a contract with the Devil; he gains wealth from the Devil; Theophilus prays to the Virgin Mary for Forgiveness, and the Virgin Mary takes Theophilus’ contract from the Devil.

Tympanum with the Legend of Theophilus, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Paris, mid 1200s. View of the North Transept. (Photo: Mary B. Shepard)

            The Legend of Theophilus is a redemption tale that reveals the characters’ flaws of human beings, and the compassionate side of the Virgin Mary. As the story goes, Theophilus was a high-rank church official that had fallen into sin and received forgiveness and salvation through the Virgin Mary. This story depicts the Virgin as an understanding, merciful, powerful, and sympathetic figure. The Legend of Theophilus was a popular narrative at the time, as people received a sense of comfort knowing that God can be understanding and forgiving. Only high church officials would have used this entrance to the Cathedral, and the narrative was used as a reminder that even the holiest of men can fall victim to sin. The narrative humanized the idea of the Virgin Mary and focused on individual salvation, compassion, and mercy.

Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, view of the North Transept, c. 1245-60s. (Photo: Tien Pham)

            Upon our arrival at the Cathedral, the weather was far from ideal. Not only was it cold, it was pouring rain. My class and I were shivering as the temperature continued to drop, and we decided to postpone the presentation for a couple of hours to see if the weather would lighten up. It did not. As we headed to the Cathedral again, I decided to present. While trying to balance an umbrella with the left arm, I took out my note cards. The ink smeared from the rain, and my words became gibberish! (Dr. Shepard adds here that it only felt that way! You were exceptionally articulate!) I still presented to the best of my ability. I remember feeling very distant from the work of art when I presented. The artwork was above me, and there was a road and a gate that stood between me and the Cathedral. 

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow could stop this presentation! March 17, 2018 (Photo: Hayla May)

While presenting, I remembered my body was shivering, and I was looking at my cold classmates as they huddled for warmth. My professor and another classmate stood next to me as they did their best to keep me dry. I would look from my classmates to the work of art, getting a glance of the naturalistic, idealized figures that filled in the space of the tympanum. Although I could not really see the details, I recognized the gestural figures, and how the figures were in contrapposto. The carving was exquisite, and I managed to admire the Gothic sculpture with the short period of time I had. The rain transformed into to sleet, and by the end of my presentation, it became snow. By the time my presentation was finished, we quickly left the Cathedral of Notre-Dame and headed towards the nearest Monoprix for warm clothing. I went back a few times to the Cathedral to admire the work of art. Though the size of the artwork is small, compared to the overall Cathedral, its narrative reveals a compassionate and merciful view of the divine and comforting perspective to the viewer.

Sources Consulted

Cothren, Michael W. “The Iconography of Theophilus windows in the first half of the thirteenth century.” Speculum, vol. 59, 1984: pp. 308-341

Davis, Michael. “Canonical Views: The Theophilus Story and the Choir Reliefs at Notre-Dame, Paris” in Reading Medieval Images: The Art Historian and the Object, edited Elizabeth Sears and Thelma Thomas, Ann Arbor, 2002: pp. 103-116

de Voragine, Jacobus. Golden Legend. Translated William Granger Ryan, 2 vols. Princeton, 1993

Erlande-Brandenburg, Alain. Notre-Dame de Paris. Translated by John Goodman. New York, 1998

Lazar, Moshe. “Theophilus: Servant of Two Masters. The Pre-Faustian Theme of Despair and Revolt.” MLN, vol. 87, no. 6. Nathan Edelman Memorial Issue, 1972: pp. 31-50

Root, Jerry. The Theophilus Legend in Medieval Text and Image. London, 2017

Williamson, Paul. Gothic Sculpture: 1140-1300. New Haven and London, 1995