The Prophet Haggai

Giovanni Pisano designed a revolutionary facade for Siena Cathedral. It housed a series of monumental figures in arcades, of which this fragment was part. The sculptor allowed for the fact that the figure was to be placed high up on the church by carving it with great boldness. The importance of the Siena statues in the history of sculpture is difficult to overstate. The facade is the single example in Italy of Gothic monumental sculpture integrated in a comprehensive architectural scheme, and though their source of inspiration stemmed from France, the statues with which it was decorated between 1284 and 1295 are some of the most personal and most moving of all sculptures. The statues for which Giovanni Pisano was in whole or in part responsible were confined to the first register of the facade, and represent prophets and prophetesses with inscriptions relating to the Virgin to whom the Cathedral is dedicated. The present piece can be confidently associated with the full-length figure of the prophet Haggai because of the scroll held in his hand. This is the only work firmly attributed to Giovanni Pisano outside Italy.乔瓦尼·皮萨诺（Giovanni Pisano）为锡耶纳大教堂（Siena Cathedral）设计了极具革命性的外立面。该外立面设有一系列拱廊巨幅雕像，本残件即为其中一部分。这位雕塑家考虑到雕像将被安置在教堂高处，故而以极具张力的大胆手法进行雕刻。锡耶纳这些雕像在雕塑史上的重要性无论如何强调都不为过。该外立面是意大利境内唯一将哥特式巨型雕塑与整体建筑方案完美融合的实例；尽管其创作灵感源自法国，但1284年至1295年间用于装饰外立面的这些雕像，仍是所有雕塑作品中最具个人风格、最动人心弦的佳作之一。乔瓦尼·皮萨诺全权或部分负责创作的雕像仅局限于外立面的第一层拱廊，题材为先知与女先知，搭配有与大教堂供奉的圣母相关的铭文。根据这件藏品手中所持的卷轴，可以确凿无疑地将其与先知哈该（Haggai）的立像联系起来。这也是目前已知唯一一件确凿归属乔瓦尼·皮萨诺、创作于意大利境外的作品。