Burgos Cathedral: Sarmental Door, Gothic Sculpture & Iconography

Burgos Cathedral: Sarmental Door

The Sarmental door is a Gothic cover decorated with sculptures in high relief, attached with an exciting iconographic program. Made of stone, it presents a rich architectural framework. This cover is part of the south facade of the Burgos Cathedral. The surface texture is not visible, but all the sculptures face the viewer, displaying a clear hierarchy. Although the facade may have been polychrome, no color remains are visible.

Chronologically, the Sarmental door dates between 1230 and 1240. Burgos Cathedral is one of the Iberian Peninsula's cathedrals with undeniable French influence. Despite having a single nave, the beauty of the south transept facade is remarkable. The door contains the oldest Gothic sculpture in the Iberian Peninsula.

Sculptural Details

The sculpture is focused on the tympanum, archivolts, mullion, and jamb. Stylistic patterns and lines show differences, suggesting the presence of three different masters. One created the tympanum with the Maiestas and Tetramorph, another the lintel, and a third the archivolt sculptures.

Connections to French art are evident, particularly to the Master of the Beau Dieu of Amiens. The sculptor was aware of the Maiestas achievements of French cathedrals. The lintel's artist was familiar with the north transept covers of Reims Cathedral.

Iconographic Program

The program developed in the Sarmental door is Apocalyptic, comparable to the model derived from the unfulfilled Chartres Royal portal. The Maiestas, surrounded by the Tetramorph, presides over the tympanum. The four evangelists, accompanied by their symbols, are depicted writing at easels, following a tradition traceable to Byzantine and Carolingian art. The archivolts combine Elders with angels and archangels. The mullion features a holy bishop, a tradition with French precedents, though his exact identification in Burgos is difficult.