Question

What is the relationship between the left and right Doors of the Bishop Bernward at Hildesheim cathedral, in other words, not just what they depict, but how they relate to each other?

Answer 1

Relationship between between left and right doors of bishop bernward :

The Bernward Doors are the two leaves of a pair of Ottonian or Romanesque bronze doors, made c. 1015 for Hildesheim Cathedral in Germany. They were commissioned by Bishop Bernward of Hildesheim (938–1022).

The doors show relief images from the Bible, scenes from the Book of Genesis on the left door and from the life of Jesus on the right door.

They are considered a masterpiece of Ottonian art, and feature the oldest known monumental image cycle in German sculpture.

Each leaf of the doors was cast as a single piece. Given the size (left: 472.0 x 125.0 cm, right: 472.0 x 114.5 cm, maximum thickness c. 3.5-4.5 cm) and enormous weight (both c. 1.85 tonnes) of the doors, this is a great achievement for its time.

The raw material for the casting was Gunmetal, which consisted predominantly of copper (above 80%) with roughly equal parts of lead, tin, and zinc.

To date material analysis has not been able to show which ore deposit the metal came from, though the ironworks at Rammelsberg near Goslar has been ruled out.

Bernward Doors were manufactured using the Lost-wax process, which puts exceptional demands on the workers of the casting workshop, since the mold can only be used once.

The individual scenes of the doors were carved from massive wax or tallow tablets by modellers and then combined, supported by an iron frame, which is probably how the slight irregularities in the bands which divide the individual scenes came about.

Even the doorknockers in the form of grotesque lion's heads with rings of grace in their mouths were included in the original mold rather than being soldered on later.

Technical analysis has shown that the mold was stood on the long side and filled with bronze, so that the molten metal would spread evenly; investigation has found cooling cracks in the metal.

The result of this process was probably still rather rough, covered in metal bumps from the pipes in the mold through which the metal was poured in and through which air escaped .

Left door:

Top panel: God creates Adam. Adam after the creation.

Second panel: Adam and Eve are introduced

Third panel: The fall

Fourth panel: God interrogates Adam and Eve

Fifth panel: Expulsion from paradise

Sixth panel: Life on earth

(door handle)

Seventh panel: Cain and Abel make their offerings to God

Eighth panel: Cain kills Abel

Right door:

Top panel: Noli me tangere; ascension of Christ into heaven

Second panel: The women at the tomb

Third panel: The crucifixion

Fourth panel: Christ appears before Pilate and Herod

Fifth panel: The child Jesus is brought to the Temple

Sixth panel: The gifts of the Wise Men

(door handle)

Seventh panel: The birth of Christ

Eighth panel: The annunciation to Mary