(east gallery) , while the later south and west galleries (14th century) are early
Gothic in form with pointed
transverse arches. The cloister was constructed in the second half of the 12th century and the first half of the 13th century. for the use of the
Canons, the priests who attended the bishop and managed the church property. Under a reform instituted by
Pope Gregory, the Canons were required to live like monks, with a common dormitory, refectory and cloister within the cathedral enclosure, separated by a wall from the city. The refectory, or dining hall, was built first, next to the church, along with a chapter house, or meeting room, for the canons. The dormitory for the canons, a large vaulted room on the east side of the cloister, was built next. Work on the cloister began with the northern gallery, then the eastern gallery, which were finished around 1210–1220. Then work suddenly stopped. Soon after the construction of the east and west galleries, the city began to decline. The
Counts of Provence moved from Arles to
Aix, the center of church authority moved to the papal palace in
Avignon, and in 1251
Charles of Anjou suppressed the movement of the leaders of Arles for more independence. In 1348, The
Black Death drastically reduced the population of all of Provence. The southern and western galleries of the cloister were not built until the 1380s and 1390s, and they were built in a different style, the
Gothic style favored by the Popes in
Avignon, with cross-ribbed vaults. In 1355, the canons gave up living in the dormitory, and moved to houses within the cathedral close. The dormitory, refectory and chapter house were turned into granaries and storehouses.
The northern gallery, built in the second quarter of the 12th century, is purely Romanesque, with a barrel vault ceiling. The carvings of the columns capitals are devoted to the Easter Mystery and to the glorification of the patron saints of Arles. The relationships between the figures on the pillars and the capitals of the columns show the relationships between the Old and New Testaments, a theme introduced in Paris by
Suger, the abbot of
Saint Denis. The first corner pillar in the northern gallery is devoted to St. Trophime, the patron saint Arles, between the figures of
Saint Peter and
Saint John. The bas-relief on the walls show the Christ's empty tomb on Easter morning. The capitals of the columns depict
Lazarus coming out of his tomb between
Martha and
Mary;
Abraham about to sacrifice his son; and
Balaam on his ass being stopped by a sword-wielding angel. The next three columns show
St. Stephen being stoned, combined with a portrait of
St. Paul; Christ encountering the disciples, shown as pilgrims on their way to
Compostela, at
Emaus; and Christ showing his wounds to the unbelieving
Thomas. The capitals between the columns show three Angels appearing to
Abraham; and St. Paul addressing
Areopagus of Athens. The only illustrated capital in the last bay shows
Moses meeting God before the burning bush. The Resurrection story concludes on the northeast corner pillar with the
Ascension of Jesus, next to the figures of Saint Paul and St. Andrew on either side of St. Stephen.
The Eastern Gallery, built the late 12th or early 13th century, has some Gothic features, including figures in the quoins of wise virgins and foolish virgins and the symbols of the
Four Evangelists. The
Passion story is told on the pillars, while the life of Christ is depicted on the carved capitals. The scenes of Christ's childhood can be are read on the capitals from north to south; the
Annunciation, the
Visitation and the
Nativity on the first capital; the next capital shows the coat of arms of Arles and an eagle with spread wings, the symbol of the
Holy Roman Emperor, who at the time ruled Arles; the third capital shows the
Annunciation to the shepherds, with two startled goats climbing the
Tree of Life. The pillar in the first bay begins the story of the Passion with the flagellation of Christ. On the opposite side is
Judas clutching a purse with thirty pieces of silver. The capitals in the central bay illustrate the story of the
Magi, out of historical order; the successive columns show the
Massacre of the Innocents; the
Flight into Egypt; the angel appearing to the Magi at the inn; the three wise men before Herod; the
Adoration of the Magi, and the angel appearing to
Joseph in a dream. The pillar in the second bay has two statues, probably representing St. John and the Mother Church. The capitals in the third bay illustrate the entry of Christ into
Jerusalem,
Palm Sunday and
Pentecost, and a knight striking down an adversary, and then walking over to a lady; possibly representing Constantine defeating paganism and then being thanked by the mother church. The southern pillar illustrates the Baptism of Christ and the devil tempting Christ, Christ washing the apostles' feet, the
Last Supper and the kiss of Judas. The
Southern Gallery probably dates to the 1380s or 1390s, and is built in the Gothic style, with pointed arches intersecting vaults resting on colonnettes with foliated capitals. The capitals in the southern gallery are entirely devoted to the story of St. Trophimus; the first shows St. Trophime blessing the Alyscamps burial ground, and dedicating an oratory to the still-living Virgin Mary; the next four show a miracle performed by the intervention of St. Trophime; he brings back to life a knight and nine of his relatives unjustly sentenced to death by the Emperor
Charlemagne for slapping the archbishop Turpin. The
Western Gallery probably dates to about 1375, and is devoted to religious figures and scenes popular in Provence; from south to north: the stoning of
St. Stephen;
Samson slaying the lion and yielding to
Delilah; Saint
Martha and the
Tarasque;
Mary Magdalene kissing Christ's feet; the
Annunciation in a Gothic setting; the Coronation of the Virgin; and the
Pentecost. ==See also==