Spirituality & Religious StudiesTetramorph
A tetramorph is a symbolic arrangement of 4 differing elements. Or the combination of 4 different elements in 1 unit. The term is derived from the Greek tetra, meaning 4, & morph, meaning shape. The word comes from the Greek for “4 forms” or “shapes.” In English usage, each symbol may be described as a tetramorph in the singular, & a group as “the tetramorphs,” but usually only in contexts where all 4 are included.
The tetramorphs were especially common in Early Medieval art, above all in illuminated Gospel books. But remain common in religious art to the present day. In Christian art, the tetramorph is the union of the symbols of the 4 Evangelists, derived from the 4 living creatures in the Book of Ezekiel, into a single figure or, more commonly, a group of 4 figures. Each of the 4 Evangelists is associated with 1 of the living creatures, usually shown with wings.
The most common association, but not the original or only, is: Mark the King, Lion; Luke the lowly Servant, Ox; Matthew the Angel; & John the Eagle.
In Christian art & iconography, Evangelist portraits are often escorted by tetramorphs. Or the symbols alone are used to represent them. Evangelist portraits that depict them in their human forms are often accompanied by their symbolic creatures, & Christ in Majesty is often shown surrounded by the 4 symbols.
The prophet Ezekiel lived among the Jews who were exiled to Babylon in the 6th century BC. The creatures in his vision, from which the images of the tetramorph came, are reminiscent of ancient Assyrian art.
The animals associated with the Christian tetramorph originate in the Babylonian symbols of the 4 fixed signs of the zodiac: the ox (Taurus); the lion (Leo); the eagle (Scorpio); the man/angel (Aquarius). In Western astrology, the 4 symbols are associated with the elements of Earth, Fire, Water, & Air, respectively.
The Christian tetramorph creatures were also common in Egyptian, Greek, & Assyrian mythology. These early Christians adopted this symbolism & adapted it for the 4 Evangelists as the tetramorph, which 1st shows up in Christian art in the 5th century. But its interpretative origin dates back to Irenaeus in the 2nd century.
The association of the 4 living creatures with the 4 Evangelists originated with Irenaeus in the 2nd century. The interpretation of each creature has changed through church history. The most common interpretation, 1st laid out by Victorinus & adopted by Jerome, St. Gregory, & the Book of Kellis, is that the man is Matthew, the lion Mark, the ox Luke, & the eagle John. The creatures of the tetramorph, just like the 4 Gospels of the Evangelists, represent 4 facets of Christ.
The 5 main outlines are summarized below with a representative proponent & rationale. The given rationale major themes in each Gospel, or the aspect of Christ emphasized in each Gospel:
- 1st Outline (Irenaeus): The man is Matthew, because his Gospel begins with the genealogy of Jesus; the lion is John, because his Gospel begins full of confidence; the ox is Luke, because his Gospel begins with priestly sacrifice; & the eagle is Mark, because his Gospel begins with the prophecy of Isaiah. Irenaeus establishes this connection between the 4 living creatures & the 4 Evangelists because he’s seeking an answer to the question “Why 4 Gospels?”
- 2nd Outline (Most common; Jerome): The rationale given for this outline is how the scheme is how each Gospel narrative begins. Matthew is the man because he begins with a genealogy; Mark is the lion, roaming in the desert with prophetic power; Luke is the ox because he begins heavenwards like the divine Word. It’s gotta be said that at a certain point, once enough interpretive authorities in the church backed this scheme, many who followed simply defaulted to their authority.
- 3rd Outline (Augustine): The lion is Matthew, because Matthew’s Gospel shows Christ’s royal character, he who descended from the tribe of Judah; the ox is Luke, because Christ is shown in his priestly character; the man is Mark, because of the humanity of Christ shown in that Gospel focusing on the things the man did; & the eagle is John, because the mystery of the Word ascends to Heaven.
- 4th Outline (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown): The Lion is Matthew, because Matthew portrays the Lord Jesus as the King; the ox is Mark, because Mark portrays Him as a servant; the man is Luke, because Luke portrays Him as a perfect, genuine man; the eagle is John, because John portrays Him as God. This view takes the creatures as symbols of “not the personal character of the Evangelists, but the manifold aspect of Christ…presented by them severally.”
- 5th Outline (Aimee Semple McPherson): The Eagle is Matthew, who presents Jesus as the King who will soon return to seek his people, Jesus will return; the ox is Luke, where he presents Jesus as the suffering servant who bore our sickness, Jesus healing; The Face of Man (representing Mark) presents Jesus as the perfect man who came to save us, Jesus saves; the Lion is John presents Jesus as the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit.
The creatures of the tetramorph (they appear in their animal forms) are predominantly shown as winged figures. The wings (an ancient symbol of divinity) represent the divinity of the Evangelists, the divine nature of Christ, & the virtues required for Christian salvation.
In regard to the depiction of St. Mark in particular, the use of wings distinguishes him from images of St. Jerome, who’s also associated with the image of a lion. The perfect human body of Christ was originally represented as a winged man. The perfect human body of Christ was originally represented as a winged man. Later, it was adapted for St. Matthew to symbolize Christ’s humanity.
In the context of the tetramorphs, the winged man implies Christ’s humanity & reason. As well as Matthew’s account of the Incarnation of Christ. The lion of St. Mark represents courage, resurrection, & royalty. This coincides with Christ’s theme as king in Mark’s Gospel. It’s also interpreted as the Lion of Judah as a reference to Jesus’ (Christ’s) royal lineage.
The ox, or bull, is an ancient Christian symbol of redemption & life through sacrifice, signifying Luke’s records of Christ as a priest & his ultimate sacrifice for the future of humanity. The eagle represents the sky, heavens, & the human spirit, paralleling the divine nature of Christ.
In their earliest appearances, the Evangelists were depicted in their human forms, each with a scroll/book to represent the Gospels. By the 5th century, images of the Evangelists evolved into their respective tetramorphs. By the late Middle Ages, the tetramorphs in the form of creatures were used less frequently. Instead, the Evangelists were often in their human forms accompanied by their symbolic creatures, or as men with the heads of animals.
In images where the creatures surround Christ, the winged man & the eagle are often depicted at Christ’s sides. The lion & ox are positioned lower by His feet, with the man on Christ’s right, taking precedence over the eagle, & the lion to the left of the ox. These positions reflect the medieval great chain of being. The Great Chain of Being is a hierarchical structure of all matter & life, thought by the medieval Islamic & Christian world to have been decreed by God.
The use of the tetramorph in architecture is most common in the decoration of Christian churches. In medieval churches, the symbols of the Evangelists are usually found above the west-facing portals & in the Eastern apse. Particularly surrounding the enthroned figure of Christ in Glory in scenes of the Last Judgment.
This image of Christ in Glory often features Christ Pantocrator (This is basically an Eastern church’s equivalent of Christ/Jesus sitting on the throne of the world) in a mandorla (This is the “halo effect,” or an “aura” that surrounds the whole being/person), surrounded by the creatures of the tetramorph, and is often on the spherical ceiling inside the apse. This is typically as a mosaic or fresco.
In older Roman churches, like Santa Pudenziana & Santa Maria in Trastevere, mosaics often picture the 4 creatures in a straight line rather than in a circular shape. Medieval churches also feature sculptures of bas-relief symbols of the Evangelists on the west facades, externally around the eastern apse windows, or as large statues atop apse walls.
Holy Trinity Apse by Colin Smith is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0Generally, all 4 creatures of the tetramorph will be found together in either 1 whole image or in 1 whole structure. But it’s not uncommon to have a single Evangelist monopolize the imagery of the church. This is usually found in cities that accept 1 of the Evangelists as their patron saint. An example is St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, where the winged lion is the city’s mascot & St. Mark is the city’s patron spirit.
Most illuminated Gospel books were prefaced with Evangelist portraits. They are often combined on a single page. Insular manuscripts (It’s exactly what you think, but these “insulars” are monks.) were very focused on abstract linear patterns that combined Mediterranean, Anglo-Saxon, & Celtic influences, the latter mostly traceable from surviving metalwork.
For the most illuminated manuscript portraits, the Evangelist typically occupied a full page. Though numerous examples of Late Antique portraits featured each figure in a standing position. The Evangelists were depicted predominantly in a seated position at a writing desk or with a book or scroll. This is in reference to the Gospels.
The tetramorph of the 4 living creatures is depicted on the World card of many tarot decks. Including the Tarot of Marseilles & the Rider-Waite tarot deck.
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