IMAGES OF MEDIEVAL ART AND ARCHITECTURE

ENGLAND: LINCOLN CATHEDRAL

Interior Sculpture

The Most Famous and influential aspect of the interior sculpture is the set of angels in the "Angel Choir", built  between 1256 and 1280.
Many of the angel figures are singings or playing musical instruments, but others are holding symbolic objects. There are a few which are not angels, but religious figures such as Christ and Mary.
Location

Location of Angel Choir
Location of Sculptures
within Angel Choir 

 
Angel Sculptures
Numbering scheme from table below

No. 5
No. 9

No 14
No. 17

No. 18
No. 19

No. 20
No. 21

No. 23
No. 26

No. 29
No. 30


Drawings of some of the Angels- Adapted from Wild
Larger Version

Descriptions
Adapted from Prior and Gardiner, p 266
At the end of each description is a type number that Prior and Gardiner assigned to the sculpture. See the text, page 266-76
North Side South Side
Bay I
  • 1- Angel, Full Front. Right arm Raised, reading a Scroll (PG Type A*)
  • 2- Angel, Full Front. Holding sun and moon (PG Type B)
  • 3- Angel or King David, Facing Left. Playing Harp  (PG Type A*)
  • 8- Angel, Full Front. Leaning to Left, Holding scroll, right arm raised (PG Type A)
  • 9- Angel, Full Front. Crowned and holding harp (PG Type B)
  • 10- Angel, Full Front. Right arm raised (listening to music?) (PG Type A)
Bay II
  • 4- Angel, Full Front. Holding palm and scroll.(PG Type A*)
  • 5- Angel, Facing Left. Playing a viol (PG Type A*)
  • 6- Angel, Full Front. Playing a Lute (PG Type A)
  • 11- Angel, Turning to Left, crossed legs, Blowing a Trumpet(PG Type A)
  • 12- Angel, Full Front. Extending a long scroll(PG Type A)
  • 13- Angel, Full Front. turning to right, holding up a scroll with both arms (PG Type A)
Bay III
  • 7- Angel, Full Front. Reclining, holding scroll up with both arms(PG Type B)
  • 15- Angel, Full Front. Holding two crowns (PG Type C)
  • 16- Angel, Full Front.  Holding palm and scroll (PG Type C)
  • 14- Angel, Turning slightly to Left. Holding scroll with both arms raised (PG Type A)
  • 23- Angel, Full Front. With Pipe and tabor (PG Type E)
  • 24- Angel, Full Front.  Right arm raised, holding book (PG Type E)
Bay IV
  • 17- Angel, Turned to right, Swinging censer (PG Type C)
  • 18- Angel, Full Front. Weighing  souls in scales (PG Type C)
  • 19- Christ full front, Showing wounded side, Kneeling angel presents souls to Him (PG Type F)
  • 25- Angel, Turned to Left. holding scroll in both hands (PG Type E)
  • 26- Angel, Full Front. With hawk and lure (PG Type E)
  • 27- Angel, Full Front. With scroll in lap, wings crossed (PG Type E)
Bay V
  • 20- Angel, Full Front. Right arm raised, holding spear (PG Type C)
  • 21- Angel, Full Front. Sword in right hand, expelling Adam and Eve from Eden (PG Type D)
  • 22- Angel, Full Front. folding crown with both hands (PG Type C)
  • 28- Angel, Full Front. Holding book and Pointing to Text (PG Type F)
  • 29- Angel, Looking to Left. Holding soul with two hands (PG Type D)
  • 30- Madonna and Child, Full Front. Angel kneeling with censer  (PG Type F)

Preliminary Bibliography

 Prior, Edward Schröder, and Arthur Gardiner. An account of medieval figure-sculpture in England, with 855 photographs, by Edward S. Prior ... and
 Arthur Gardner ... Cambridge, University Press, 1912. LC Call Number: NB463 .P95

British Archeological Association. Medieval art and architecture at Lincoln Cathedral. [London] : British Archaeological Association ; Leeds : Obtained from W.S. Maney ; Oxford : Oxbow Books, 1986. L C. Number: N6771 L54M4 1986


Return to
LINCOLN 
MINSTER
PAGE		 CITY OF
LINCOLN 
MAIN PAGE
BRITAIN
INTRODUCTION


All images and computer code is copyrighted by Dr. Alison Stones
Last updated by:JV Date: 02/00