The Four Evangelists

One of the four Evangelists, in part human, part animal form, is represented on each side of the capital: they have the bodies of angels, and heads corresponding to their respective animal symbol.

North side: Luke with bull’s head
East side: Mark with lion’s head
South side: John with eagle head
West side: Matthew with human head

All four Evangelists hold an open book with visible margins and lineation in their left hand, while their right hand is raised in blessing. Their wide-outspread wings are reminiscent of the Archangels, Cherubim and Seraphim of capital N08MS46.
This kind of representation of the Four Evangelists has very ancient origins and has different geographical sources. Spanish manuscripts of the Commentary on the Apocalypse by the 8th century Spanish monk Beatus de Liebana are particularly lavish in such representations. So this capital, like a few others in the south wing, could testify to the iconographic closeness between the cloister sculptures and the aforesaid illuminated manuscripts.

bull lion eagle human Luke Mark John Matthew Evangelist Gospel