Christus Victor, Sacerdos et judex. The Multiple Rotes of Christ on Mosan Shrines

Marcello Angheben (1)

1 CESCM [Poitiers] - Centre d'études supérieures de civilisation médiévale [UMR 7302]

The Christus Victor or Christus Belliger-Christ trampling the animals of Psalm 90- appears on the gable end of three Mosan shrines. While the psalm evokes four animals being trampled upon by the Lord, these works only show the lion and the dragon, or, alternatively, only the dragon. On one of the gable ends of the Visé shrine, dated 1046, Christ is depicted crushing both animals. This part was inserted into a new shrine in the 1170s. In this composition, the counterpart of the Christus Victor, on the opposite side of the shrine, is a standing Christ crowning St Hadelin and St Remacle. Both ends of the Amay shrine have also survived, but are currently separated. The nature of the original shrine to which they belonged, however, remains unknown. One short side presents the same symmetric composition as in Visé, but here, instead of Christ, St Ode appears in the centre flanked by the personifications of two virtues. Finally, the more recent of both shrines of Stavelot, dated around 1250-1260, presents an enthroned figure on each end: Christ with a dragon under his feet on one side and the Madonna and Child on the other.

Mots clés: Christus Victor; Sacerdos; judex; Rotes; Christ; Mosan Shrines; Art History; Middle Ages

Domaines: Art et histoire de l'art; Histoire; Religions

Marcello Angheben. Christus Victor, Sacerdos et judex. The Multiple Rotes of Christ on Mosan Shrines. Worshop : Reliquie, (In-)Schrift, Raum, May 2017, Heidelberg, Germany. pp.85-108. ⟨halshs-02186976⟩