kemp the narrativity of the frame 1996

7/25/2019 Kemp the Narrativity of the Frame 1996

1/15

The

Narrativity o f the rame

WolfgangKemp

SIN t h e a l l - c o n q u e r i n g a p p e a r a n c e o f f i l m , t h e w o r d f r a m e h a s h a d

two m e a n i n g s . * Its s t an d a r d m e a n i n g is t h e f r a m e a r o u n d a p i c t u r e , w h e r e a s

n

i ts n e w sense it me ans the p i c ture i tse l f, t he p i c ture that , w h e n pro jec te d as

w h o le success ion o f p i c tures , g i ves r i se t o f i lm . J ok es bu i ld o n th i s a m bi g u

ity

- o n e h as o n l y t o t h i n k o f t h e d e f i n i t i o n o f H o l l y w o o d a s a p l a c e w h e r e

they

m a k e p i c t u r e s o u t o f f r a m e s . T h i s i n c i d e n t a l l y g i v e s v o i c e t o f i l m l a n

guage's

c la i m t o b o t h e l e m e n t s : p i c tu r e s a n d f r a m e s . T o d a y t h e w o r d f r a m e

does in d e e d c o m m a n d a w h o l e s e m a n t i c fie ld o f t e r m i n o l o g y , w h a t w i t h

framing

a n d r e f r a i n i n g , w i t h i n f r a m e a n d

mise en cadre

(Eisenste in) .

Or

t o q u o t e a s s o c i a t i o n s m a d e b y S t e p h e n H e a t h :

In

frame: the place of imag e and s ubject, vie w (in early French catalogues a

film is called a vue ) and vie we r; frame , fram ing is the very basis o f disp osi

tion

- Ge rm an Einstel lung: adjustmen t, centering, framing, mora l att i tude,

the

correct posit ion.

1

It

shou ld no t be d i f f i cu l t t o wr i t e an aes the t i cs o f the c inema on the bas i s o f

this

w e i g h t e d a n d o f t - e m p l o y e d c o n c e p t .

In

one respect th is state o f af fa i rs g ives pause for thought : i s the inf lat ion

ary u s e o f t h e t e r m f r a m e c o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e f a ct t h a t c i n e m a i n t h e n a r

row

s en s e o f t h e w o r d k n o w s n o f r a m e ? T o q u o t e B a z i n : T h e s c r e e n is n o t a

frame

l i ke that o f a p i c ture , but a ma sk w h ic h a l l ows us t o see a par t o f the

event

o n l y .

2

T h a t i s t h e a e s th e t ic d e s c r i p t i o n ; a f o r m a l d e s c r i p t i o n w o u l d

point

o ut that the f rame o f the p i c ture onsc reen i s b l ack , i nv i s ib l e , and n o t t o

be c h a n g e d - n e i t h e r d u r i n g t h e p r o j e c t i o n o fa f i lm, nor for long stretches o f

f ilm history . T h is a lso separates the f ilmic f ram e fr om i ts co un ter pa rt in art

history,

w he re there are count l ess t ypes an d fo rma ts o f fram e . I n f ilm the s tan

dard

r a t io o f 1 : 1 . 3 7 r e m a i n e d u n c h a n g e d f o r a l o n g t i m e a f t er t h e 1 9 2 0 s . T h e

tendency

t o j u g g l e t h is r e la t i o n s h i p w a s p u r s u e d b y s u c h u n l i k e l y b e d f e l l o w s

as the f ilm in du str y and a fi lm aesthet ics act in g in the n am e o f the n e w

medium. W i t h respect t o the la t te r , the speech g i ven b y Serge i E i sens te in in

*This chapter was translated by Roger Hil lman.

Originalverffentlichung in: Duro, Paul (Hrsg.): The rhetoric of the frame, Cambridge 1996, S. 11-23 u. 275-276


2/15

93 t o t h e m e r i c a n c a d e m y o f M o t i o n P i c t u re r t s a n d S c ie n c es i n H o l

lywood,

s i g n i fi c a n t ly e n t i t le d T h e D y n a m i c S q u a r e , is o f r e l ev a n c e .

3

In th i s l e c ture E i sens te in persuas ive ly a t tempted to re s t ra in the Academy ,

entrusted w i th the task o f deba t ing such ques t ions o f s tandard iza t ion , f rom

further

d iv ers i f y ing the screen 's fo rm at - re lat ionships o f 3 :4 ( the pre vai l i ng

format), as we l l as 3:5 a nd 3: 6, we re un de r d iscuss io n . E ise nste in re jecte d th e

wide s c r ee n as a l ie n t o th e m e d i u m . A c c o r d i n g t o h i m i t h a d b e e n d e r i v e d

from

h i s tor i ca l pageants and the thea ter , o r e lse or i en t ed towa rd id ea l de t e r

minants o f r e la t i on s h i ps l i k e t h e g o l d e n m e a n w h o s e r el e v a n ce f o r t h e c i n

ema r e m a i n e d u n p r o v e n . A d m i t t e d l y h e c o u l d n o t d e n y t ha t p a n o r a m i c f o r

mats

were necessary w h e n i t was a mat te r o f l o ng in g for the l im i t le ss

horizon,

a l o n g i n g w i t h o u t w h i c h b o t h R u s s i a n a n d A m e r i c a n f i lm is i n

conceivable

- the Far W es t and the vast b read th o f O l d M a n R iv e r , j u s t l i ke

the

s teppes o f As ia an d the p la ins o f the agr icu l tu ra l co l l ec t ives , co u ld b e de

picted

o n l y in b ro ad fo rm at . B u t E i sens te in sets aga ins t th is the fa r m or e

modern u n d e r l y i n g t e n d e n c y t o t h e v e r ti c a l, o n e o f t h e g i v e n s s i n ce m a n k i n d

walked

u p r i g h t , w h i c h i n m o d e r n t i m e s h as b e e n s a ti sf ie d b y c h i m n e y s , s k y

scrapers,

o i l d e r ri c k s, p y l o n s , a n d s o f o r t h . W h a t R o d c h e n k o a n d M e n d e l s o h n

had f ir st d e m a n d e d f o r c o n t e m p o r a r y p h o t o g r a p h y w a s tr an s la t ed b y E i s e n

stein i n t o h is m e d i u m , n a m e l y a r e c o g n i t i o n o f t h e s e n s e o f d i r e c t i o n o f

modernity o f h e i g h t , o f st ee p , d y n a m i c p r o p o r t i o n s t h at w r e n c h o u r p e r

ception o ut o f i ts narc iss ism.

4

So how were these ex t remes to be approached? Pure tendenc ie s to the

vertical a n d t h e h o r i z o n t a l m u s t e n c o u n t e r a n d c o n t e s t e a c h o t h e r o n t h e

battlefield o f the square . T h is , c la im ed Eis enste in , was the bas ic shape ,

which in i ts co sm ic inv i o la b i l i t y mu s t impress i t se lf o n the psy che o f the

viewer b e f o r e u n d e r g o i n g c h a n g e o r r e a f f i r m a t i o n i n t h e c o u r s e o f t h e f i l m .

Th e te r m dy na m ic square me ans tha t the bas ic shape w h e n covered over is

changed

from i ts fu l l s ize to smal ler squares e i ther vert ica l ly or hor izonta l ly

disposed.

This idea is n ot n ew . Eisen ste in h im se l f re fers repea ted ly in h is lectur e to

Japanese ar t, w h i c h i n d e e d e m p l o y s e x t r e m e fo r m a t s s u c h as t h e e n d l e s s

horizontal and ve r t ica l s c ro l ls . In the n in e te en th -ce n t ur y cyc le th is a r t op er

ated

w i t h d iverse f ra m ing p ro po r t io ns : E i sens te in c ites Hok usa i ' s v ie w s o f

Moun t

F u j i in w h ic h the ra t io fluctua tes be tw ee n 1 :1 .47 and 1 :1 .35 , and s i

multaneously

a l l k in ds o f f rame s are tr ied ou t . In th e W est , too , the de vic e o f

changing f o r m a t w a s e m p l o y e d i n t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y a n d u l t i m a t e l y b e

came the s tandard . M a x Kl in ger ' s 188 1 ser ies Glove cons is ts o f a seq uen ce

o f ten e tch ings , w ho se p ro po r t io ns vary as fo l l o ws ( in each case I g ive the

height be fore the w i d t h ) : 1 :1 .4 ; 1 .2 :1 ; 2 .7 :1 ; 1 .4 :1 ; 1 :2 .3 ; 1 :2 .3 ; 1 :2 .23 ; 1 :2 ;

1:2.3; and 1 :2 .1 . T h e reasons for the cha nge o f for m at a re genera l l y read i l y

recognizable. P r i n t s i n t h e s er ie s l i k e T r i u m p h ( t r i u m p h a l p r o c e s s i o n ) a n d

Homage (a seascape ) a re g ive n a l andscape (pan oram ic ) fo rm at tha t c or re

spond

to the i r hor i zo n ta l expans iveness . A d rea m landscape (p r in t 3 ) , in

which

w ish es g ro w and u n fo ld , is r endered in a s t ri c t por t ra i t ( co lum n l ik e )


3/15

format. So this is a tautologica l procedure just as Eisenstein propos ed - la nd

scape

formats for the steppes and the W il d West, and portrait formats for the

narrow al leys of the Middle Ages, or mighty Gothic cathedrals towering

above

the m " and for the Paramount Bui lding in N ew York .

5

But it is not just

the har mo ny between format and object that is involved here. Th is k ind o f

consonance

does not really have anything to do with the "narrativity of the

frame, or at best is covered by Bil ly Wilder's pointed com m en t on cin em a

scope

(1:2.35, a format that Eisenstein fortunately did not live to see):"This is

a great process for filming the life ofa dachshund." W it h Kling er and all the

more

with Eisenstein, for whom montage was the building block of f i lm, the

cycle and the film must be con sidered in their entirety. Eisenstein im agines

film developed fro m the "dy na m ic square" to be a "rhythm ically organized

combination of various screen formats."

6

Klinger anticipates this process

when he follows an "establishing shot" in his first etching, illustrating in the

old

standard film format the overall composition of

a

skating rink with seven

teen people, with a close-up perspective of five roller skaters in portrait. The

vertical tendency of the latter provides a nice contrast with the skaters veer

ing to the right and left. Furtherm ore, the continued change of format co n

tributes considerably to the veering motion fundamental to the whole cycle,

a motion that begins with roller skating in the first two pictures and contin

ues through changing configurations of dreams.

A

change o f form at w ith narrative effect, but realized quite d ifferently, is

also to be found in the precursors of the comic strip in the nineteenth cen

tury.

7

Eisenstein refers indirectly to this when he appeals to the graphic de

signers to d efend the p ortrait for m at. Th ese artists assembled the pictu re pages

of

contem porary journals from a variety o f photographs in different formats,

and naturally allowed the skyscraper an extreme portrait format. Th is co m po s

ite

mann er of arranging pages was developed into a high art form in b oo k and

newspaper illustrations of the nineteenth century as well as comic strips from

the

1890s on.

8

Rodolphe Toepffer was probably the pioneer. In anticipation

of Eisenstein he forsook the regular tableauesque format of his great model

Hogarth

in favor of dividing up the landscape format of his lithographed

pagesinto frames of various sizes (Fig. l) .W it h h im almost everythin g is possi

ble,

right throug h fro m detailed expo sition in the appropriate horizon tal b and

of the whole page to the extreme of portrait format, which no longer aspires

to

be ing a picture per se, but merely a fragment, a section in a sequence.

Crucial here is less the relationship between prolongation and extent of

the subject and format, than that between the increasing speed of the narra

tive and the chosen format: shorter sections within a sequence are understood

assigns o f acceleration. Bu t w ith Toepffer we also find form s o f parallel m o n

tage,even o f the symm etrically contrasting variety such as w ou ld have inte r

ested Eisenstein. T h e first frame shows M ons ieur Jabot, w h o has accidentally

set

fire to himself and is crying ou t "H elp Fire " In the next ro om the M ar

chioness of Miriflor hears him, but thinks it is a profession ofhis love for her.

Frame

3 again takes place in Jabot's room: his hunting dogs are barking


4/15

4 w i l d l y . I n t h e m a r c h i o n e s s ' s r o o m h e r l a p d o g a n s w e r s ( t w o e x a m p l e s p r o v i n g

Wolfgang K e m p

t

'

l a t

y

o u c a n a

'

s o t e

^

t a

^

e s a D o u t

d o g s i n p o r t r a i t f o r m a t ) . F i n a l l y i n t h e f i f t h

panel J a b o t ' s h u n t i n g r i f l e g o e s o f f .

9

I f f o r t h e m o m e n t w e l e a v e a s i de r e a so n s l i k e va r i e t y , a t t r a c t i o n , o r a d a p t a

t i on

t o t h e o b j e c t , t h e n t h e c h a n g e o f f o r m a t f i n d s it s p a r t i c u l a r n a r r a t i v e

j u s t i f i ca t ion i n t h e t e m p o r a l a s p ec t s o f p l o t m o t i v a t i o n . T h r o u g h v i s u a l f i e l d s o f

va r y ing s iz e p r o c e s s e s o f a c c e l e r a t i o n a n d d e c e l e r a t i o n a r e e x p r e s s e d , a n d , a s i n

ou r e x a m p l e , a c t i o n s o r p e r s o n s ar e e m p h a s i z e d o r a d d e d w i t h a n a t t r i b u t i v e

f unc t i on :

l a r g e f i e l d s f o r J a b o t a n d t h e m a r c h i o n e s s , s m a l l f i e l d s f o r t h e d o g s

first t h e p e o p l e , t h e n t h e d o g s . E i s e n s t e i n w o u l d h a v e l e n t o n l y p a r t i a l e n d o r s e

men t t o th is s o l u t i o n , s i n c e b e y o n d t h e f i l m i c c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e d e v e l o p m e n t

o f a n e v e n t o u t o f i n d i v i d u a l p i c t u r e s o r f r a m e s ( h e c a ll s t h i s c o u p l i n g ) h e

was

a l so a b o v e a ll a w a r e o f t h e p r i n c i p l e o f c o l l i s i o n , w h e r e f r a m e s ar e a r r a n g e d

accord ing t o t h e i r p o t e n t i a l f o r conflict T h i s is n o l o n g e r p r i m a r i l y a m a t t e r o f

represent ing

p r o c e s s e s - t h a t i s, o f p r e s e r v i n g c o n t i n u i t y b u t o f c r e a t i n g t h e

mat i c e f f e c t s . F r o m t h i s c o l l i s i o n o f r e l a t i v e l y s t at ic p i c t o r i a l u n i t s t h e s p a r k f o r

the a s s o c ia t i o n o f m o r e w i d e - r a n g i n g c o n c e p t s is s u p p o s e d t o o r i g i n a t e :

hunger h a t r e d , l o v e , r e v o l u t i o n . E i s e n s t e i n 's a e s t h et i c s o f f i l m a n d f i l m f o r m a t s

is

t h e m a t i c r a t h e r t h a n n a r r a t i v e .

Estab l i sh ing th i s s c e n a r i o e n a b l e s a s m o o t h p r o g r e s s i o n t o a n e a r l i e r a r t

that e m p l o y s a c o n s c i o u s c h a n g e o f f o r m a t , n a m e l y C h r i s t i a n , o r m o r e a c c u

rately p o s t - C o n s t a n t i n e a rt . F o r r o u g h l y a t h o u s a n d ye a r s , f r o m 4 0 0 A . D . u n t i l

1400 t h e i n v e r s i o n o f F r i e d r i c h S c h le g e l 's d i c t u m w a s a p p l i c a b l e : E v e r y

w o r k

o f a r t b r i n g s i ts o w n f r a m e i n t o e x i s t e n c e ,

1 0

b e c o m e s T h e f r a m e

br ings t h e w o r k o f a r t i n t o e x i s t e n c e . W i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e a e s t he t i cs o f p r o

d u c t i o n

t h is m e a n s t h e f a m i l i a r p h e n o m e n o n t h a t , f o r e x a m p l e i n t h e p r o

d u c t i o n o f a l t a r p i e c e s , t h e m a k e r s o f f r a m e s w e r e o f t e n t h e l e a d i n g a r ti st s, t h a t

f rames c o s t m o r e t h a n t h e w o r k s o f a r t t h e y e n c l o s e d , a n d t h a t t h e y o f t e n

mad e m o r e o f a n i m p r e s s i o n t h a n t h e w o r k s o f a r t .

1 1

B u t i n t e r m s o f t h e p r i

or i t y o f t h e f r a m e i n p i c t o r i a l a es t h e ti c s , i t f u n c t i o n e d u n d e r t h e s e c o n d i t i o n s

ne i the r a s a n e x c e r p t , a s i n t h e c i n e m a , n o r a s t h e a e s t h e t i c b o r d e r o f t h e p i c

ture as i n a u t o n o m o u s a r t. I ts t a sk w a s t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n o f t h e p i c t o r i a l m a t e

rial

T h e f r a m e is t h e n e c e s s a r y p r e s u p p o s i t i o n f o r a c o m p o s i t e a r t , a n a r t o f

ma n y p ic t u r e s a n d o f f i g u r e s d e r e l a t i o n ( V a l e r y ) .

1 2

H e r e I w o u l d b e i n

c l i n ed

t o s p e a k o f a n a g g r e g a t e st a ge o f v i s u a l c o m m u n i c a t i o n , t h a t a c t u a l l y

contravenes e v e r y t h i n g t h a t l a t e r e s t a b l i s h e d it s e l f a s t h e m a i n t e n d e n c y o f

We s t e r n a r t p r o d u c t i o n a n d e v e r y t h i n g t h a t f i l m i n t h e l it e ra l s e n s e i n t e r n a l

i zed : t h e i n t e g r a t i v e , c o n t i n u o u s , u n i f i e d n a t u r e o f t h e s i n g le p i c t u r e .

1 3

I n

Ch r i s t i a n a rt o f l a t e a n t i q u i t y a n d t h e M i d d l e A g e s t h e f r a m e t h u s h o l d s t h e

e l emen t s

t o g e t h e r n o t j u s t i n a m a t e r i a l s e n s e l i k e a s c a f f o l d , b u t a ls o g u a r a n

tees t h e i r c o n n e c t e d n e s s . U n d e r s u c h c o n d i t i o n s o f v i e w i n g i t is i n c o n c e i v

able

t h a t t h e o b s e r v e r m i g h t p r e f e r n o t t o s e e t h e f r a m e s o a s t o b e l o s t i n t h e

picture T h e f r a m e is t h e n e c e s s a r y c o n d i t i o n f o r p e r c e p t i o n b e i n g p o s s i b l e ,

f o r a n y k i n d o f s t r u c t u r a l p e r c e p t i o n . F r o m o u r p e r s p e c t i v e , o f c o u r s e , t h e

ques t i on a u t o m a t i c a l l y a r i s es a s t o h o w p i c t o r i a l n a r r a t i v e s c a n b e f i t t e d i n


5/15

r

narratives that we probably far too readily assume to have an egalitar

ian aspect innate to their law of motion, to their unfolding in time, an aspect

pressing

for uniform segmentation.

I shall endeavor to illustrate this thesis with just two works of Christian art of

late

antiquity and the Middle Ages. A glance at the door of Santa Sabina in

Rome

w hi ch originate d in the first half o f the fifth cen tury A.D., proves that

questions of format and structure are approached in new, intelligent ways

very

early in the piec e Fig. 2).

14

The wooden frame is secured in its structure

and

not just materially). W h at is striking abou t it is the prom ine nce , in a

quite

literal sense, o f the frame. T h e reliefs lo ok like sm oo th, flat pictures p os i

tioned

between the broad sculptured outgrowth of vine leaves and sur

rounded

by three further framin g elements. T w o orders o f fram ing can be

made out: an inner, secondary one that relates to the pictorial field of individ

ual

panels, and an external, primary one, w hi ch defines each o f the four v erti

cal

sections by virtue of the columns that rise from bottom to top of the

door.

Th is vertical arrangemen t can be ex plained in a practical sense by the

fact that it is a folding door, so that not just two wings are involved, but four

mobile

elements. At the same time, of course, the question arises as to the or

dering capacity of this arrangement.

Our

second object of attention is the distinctly different formats of the

pictorial f ields and their combination in alternating horizontal rows. The

frame

of the door accommodates twenty-eight panels in seven horizontal

rows with four rows of four small and horizontally formatted panels alternat

ing

w ith three rows o f four large, vertically forma tted panels. It is easy to u n - 15

derestimate the effect of this rhythmical constellation, but the alternation


6/15

16

WolfgangKemp

o S a n t a S a b i n a

c 4 3 0 C o u r

of Bi ldarchiv

Marburg im

Phi l ipps-

i

achieves the effect of the horizontal structure also being perceived in a struc

tural sense. If panels of equal size were to overlap, the expressive potent ial o f

the

horizontal disposition could easily be limited by the pregnant vertical ele

ments of the prominently framed sections.) But as things stand, there is a con

trast at the level of the syntagmatic, a vying between axis and line, and this

contrast continues in the different formats o f the reliefs, w hi ch involves m ore

thanjust a difference in m agnitu de by creating a variety o f senses of direc

tion

This in turn is a highly effective structural tool, for it points to both hor

izontal and vertical capacities for linkage.


7/15

VII

VI

rv

ThreeMarys at the

Sepulchre

[VII,2]

ChristAppears to

theThree Wom en

[V,2}

ChristAppears to

HisDisciples

[V,l]

Christwith Peter

andPaul

[VII,4]

Acclamation ?)

[IV,2)

Adventof Christ

[VI,

4]

ChristProphesying

Peter sDenial

[V,3]

ChristBefore

Caiaphas

[III,4]

ChristBefore

Pilateand

Carryingthe C ross

[III,1]

Crucifixion

[VII,1]

(Nativity

Scene)

(Baptismof Christ)

Miraclesof Christ

[VI,1]

Ascensionof

Christ

[VI, 3]

Adorationof the

Magi ?)

[VII, 3]

Calling

of Moses

[IV,

1]

CrossingoftheRed

Sea

[IV,3]

Miracles

of Moses

[VI,2]

Ascensionof

Elijah

[IV,4]

(JonahCast into

theSea) ?)

(JonahDisgorged

by

the Whale) ?)

Rescue

of

Habakkuk ?)

[V.4]

(Daniel

in the

Lions Den) ?)

ro observing the fr mewo rk lone we thus proceed w ith the follow-

ing

premises to testing the relationship between the door itself and the struc-

ture.

W e shall need to consider the claims of tw o form s o f organization, the

line and the axis. A n d w e have to see ho w w e can accomm odate the two for-

mats,h ow w e can approach the question of conc eivin g them independ ently,

or

in relation to one another.

The

issue of reconstructing the pictorial program has never been seri-

ously

approached. W ith ou t be com ing immersed in a long discussion o f ques-

tions

of detail, I base my analysis here on an argument I have elaborated else-

where.

15

A n O ld Testament representation and nine N e w Testament stories

17

T h e N a r r a t i v i t y

o f t h e F r a m e

FIGURE

3

D i a g r amma t i c

r e c on s t r u c t i o n o f t h e

or ig ina l p l a c i n g o f

the p a n e l s o f t h e

por ta l

o f S a n t a

Sabina ,

R o m e .

Key

?) = t h e o r i g i n a l

po s i t i o n o f t h e r e l i e f

is u n c e r t a i n . ) = t h e

re l ie f h a s n o t b e e n

preserved,

b u t c a n b e

recons t ruc ted w i t h a

fair d e g r e e o f

certainty. [ ] = t h e

po s i t i o n o f t h e r e l i e f

today.


8/15

are preserved as exemplars o f the small panels. A wr itten tradition has d oc u -

WolfgangKemp m ente d the earlier existence o f one further small panel o f

o n a h

and

t h e W l ia l e .

In

the case of the large panels we still have four reliefs with themes from the

Old Testament and two w ith themes from the Ne w as well as two depictions

of

representative or thema tic nature. So from the outset the no tio n o f t y

pological structuring is present. T h e existence am on g the large panels of tw o

pairs o f pictures that are bo th th eolog ically and form ally related the

M i ra c l e s

o f

M o s e s

M i ra c l e s

of

C h r i s t ,

and the

A s c e n s i o n

of

E l i j a h

A s c e n s i o n

of

C h r i s t ,

cries out for a continuation of the quest to complete the reconstruction.

My reconstruction starts with a dualism that is not simply preestablished

by

the configuration of the panels that is, the tw o d oo r win gs equal the tw o

testaments but arises through the interaction be twe en the fram ewo rk and

the doo r itself. T h e h ypothesis con tinues in the dire ction o f a dual pictorial

program

being formu lated w ith tw o formats and directions, a program co n

sisting o f tw o narratives, or rather two ways of m ol di ng a hi)story w ith

Christian intent. O n e order articulates the linear and consecutive aspects o f

the

narrative the story o f salvation as a syntagm. Its form comp rises the

panels in horizon tal form at that form a sequence. T h e other order ad ditio n

ally gives expression to the vertical and relational aspects of the model

the

story

of salvation as syntagm and paradigm. Its form comprises the panels in

vertical format, w hic h are read in tw o directions. T h ey are positioned un de r

neath

each other in terms o f their axes, and thro ugh an additive effect b e

come

narrative sequences.

From the scheme in Figure 3 it becomes evident how I conceive the dis

tribution of narrative. If we pair the

R e s c u e o f H a b a k k u k

w i th

D a n i e l

in the Li-

o n s Den and the scripturally attested J o n a h C a s t i n to the Seaw ith his equally

necessary evacuation

( Jo n a h D i s g o r g e d

by

t h e W l ia l e ) ,

we have fi l led in the po si

tions o f the lowest line I) w ith t w o paradigms of O ld Testament salvation

that predestine the N ew . Th is ob servation does not necessarily entail struc

tural

consequen ces; that is, it does not require overarching c onn ection s and

the harmonization of individual elements, as does the other ordering. The

Old

and the New Testament bear a relationship of sequence, not of f igura

tion

Ab ov e this line, w hi ch forms a kind of predella to the door, the l ife o f

Christ is narrated in rows III,

V

and VII . O f the third l ine, wh ich wo uld re

quire

the caption

C h i l d h o o d

and

P u b l ic M i n is t ry ,

we have onl y the

A d o r a t i o n

of

t h e

M a g i ;

the fifth, w ith its fou r Passion scenes, is mo st probably com plete ; the

seventh which is l ikewise complete, would then have as its theme the Resur

rection

and its consequences.

Rows II, IV, and V I , w ith their vertica l-form at reliefs, ma y then b e read

horizontally Four scenes fro m the story o f M oses and Elija h II), four stages

in the life of Ch rist IV ), four states

probably the best way of putting it

o f

the age of perfected salvation VI) . Bu t ad ditionally these reliefs have a ve rti

cal con ne ctio n, as is suggested by their form at and the essential fram ing ele

ments The Old Testament prefigures the scenes of the New, and these in turn

give

an inkling o f the supratemporal relationships, o f the ultimate ki ng do m o f


9/15

the

L or d a re lat io nship that ca nn ot be estab l ished so eas i ly th ro ug h the oth er

tempor l s tages because the qu a l i t y o f sequent ia l i t y is miss ing ) . C ar ry in g bo th

or ers th rough to the i r l og ica l conc lus ion requ i res tha t an e lement or a l ine

o f the other order has to be d isregarded to progress with read ing or to move

up or d o w n the typo lo g ica l axes . To rephrase tha t in pos i t i ve te rms : bo th na r

rative com p le xes b eg in to c ross over and to fo rm a k i nd o f tex ture in the

course o f read ing . T h e t w o orders recon s t ruc ted here ex is t in the i r o w n r igh t ,

bu t they a l so sh ow so l idar i ty w i th each o ther . T h e y share the s tory o f sa lva

tion

so tha t the re a re n o repe t i t i ons , bu t in s tead the tw of o l d de ve lop m en t

demonstrates

that th is mater ia l has the potent ia l for many narrat ive vers ions ,

each

m ak in g sense in it s o w n r igh t , and a l l w i th the capac i ty to be cor re la ted ,

a t r i b u t e t o t h e l o g o s p o l y m e r o s k ai p o l y t r o p o s t o t h e W o r d p r o c l a i m e d

in m an y and var iou s way s (He b . 1 :1 ). In te rms o f shared s t ruc tura l f ea tures

it is w or th em pha s iz in g tha t the l inear i ty fo l l o we d by bot h nar ra ti ve orders i s

not

w i t ho u t the h ig her sea l o f approva l o f the sys temat ic order : each ro w i s

tantamount to be in g a sec t iona l or s t roph ic d iv i s io n o f the nar ra ti ve in to

chapters o r b o o k s .

To s u m m a r i z e t h e se t h o u g h t s , t h e c o m p l e x p i c t o r i a l s y s t e m , d e t e r m i n e d

in e q u a l m e a s u r e b y f r a m i n g a n d c h a n g e o f f o r m a t , d o e s i n d e e d h a v e a n i n

volvement w i t h t ime , bu t n ot i n the sense o f those nar ra t i ve p roper t ie s tha t

the n ine t een th and twe nt ie t h cen tur ie s cu l t i va ted sequent ia l i t y and acce le r

ation (Toep f fe r ) and /or s imu l tane i ty and con tras t i ve va lue (E i sens te in ) . Th i s

portal is , r a ther , im bu ed w i t h the Ch r i s t ia n no t i on o f ran g ing across a ll t em

poral leve ls (O ld Tes tame nt , N e w Tes tam ent , the e scha to log ica l fu ture ) , o f

their v er t ic a l c o r r e l a t i o n a n d h o r i z o n t a l l o g i c . T h e c o n f i g u r a t i o n o f t h e

framework i s bo th the express ion a nd the mea ns o f a th eo log y tha t f inds it s

revelation i n h i s to r y . O n e c o u l d sa y t h at t h e i m m a n e n t a i m o f s u c h a c h i e v e

ments in s t ruc tura t ion i s no t the tem po ra l f igure (To ep f fe r , E i sens te in ) , bu t

the h is tor i ca l o ne .

*

In the las t sec t ion I tu rn m y a t ten t ion to the Go th ic s ta ined -g lass w in do w s o f

northern F r a n c e , w h i c h j u s t a ft er 1 2 0 0 A. D . d e v e l o p e d a p r e v i o u s l y u n k n o w n

complexity in the i r m e d iu m and in the a rt o f ord er ing . For a re la t ive ly shor t

time s ta i ne d -g l a ss w i n d o w s i n t h e c a t he d r a l e m b r a c e a w h o l e , u n d i v i d e d w i n

dow o pe n in g . A s ear ly as 1215 the e ra o f the a rch i tec tura l w i n d o w beg ins ,

meaning tha t the op en in g is sub d iv i ded b y s tone p il la r s or t racery in t o re la

tively n a r r o w f i e l d s o r c o m p l i c a t e d f o r m s .

1 6

Be fore tha t i t had been in the

power o f t h e

i s p o s i t o r e s

t o s u b d i v i d e t h e w h o l e s u rf a ce i n t o l ar g e g e o m e t r i c

shapes thr ou gh a rma tures o f i ro n , lead settings and f ie lds of var iou s s tars , b l os

soms

and qua tre fo i l co m po s i t ion s tha t appear on ce or repea ted ly . Th es e la rger

forms w h i c h c o n s t i t u t e t h e p r i m a r y f r a m i n g s y st e m , a re i n t u r n s u b d i v i d e d

into f ie lds that serve as fram es for a narrat ive scene or part scene . W e are de al

ing w i th an age tha t fee l s the man ic compu ls ion to d iv ide and subd iv ide . '

7


10/15

I t i s hard to im ag in e a narrat ive text requ ired to a rrange i ts ep isodes in to

Wolfgang K e m p

s u c

^ d e p e n d e n t f r a g m e n t e d f r a m i n g f o r m s i n t o s e m i c i r cl e s o r qu a r t er c i r

cles

b lo sso m leaves, ha l f o r wh o le qua tre fo i ls , and so for t h . F req uen t ly on ly

small p ar ts o f t h e a c t i o n are a c c o m m o d a t e d w i t h i n t h es e fr a m e s , w i t h t h e a c

tion con t inu ing in o ther f i e ld s compr i s ing o f up to th ree fu r ther segments . In

view o f th is s tructure i t seems a lmo st imp oss ib le fo r a p ic tor ia l narrato r t o

plan a narrat ive in such a w ay that the shape o f the f ie ld is ada pted to the re

quirements o f each nar ra t i ve m o m en t . H e can , o f course , adap t the num be r o f

frames requ i red to the s ign i f i cance o f the even t , o r th r ou gh t he m shape th e

rhythm o f the narrat ive f low , bu t he can no t , in the w ay that for instance)

Toepffer do e s , m a k e t h e f o r m o f e a c h f r a m e c o n f o r m i n d i v i d u a l l y t o t h e p a r

ticular events of each scene .

Does tha t mean tha t nar ra t i ve and f ramework appear in an unequa l re la

tionship that a des ire to o rn am en t an d subd iv id e reshapes an d stands in the

way

of the narrat ive de l ivery? F irs t of a l l we have to rea l ize that the technique

o f s t ruc tur ing sur faces p resen ted the nar ra t i ve w i t h a g rea t nu m be r o f f i eld s ,

always easy to read . N ev er b e fore h ad so ma ny d i f fe ren t s tor ie s be en p resen t

in the C hr i s t ian c hur ch . A t g r ou nd leve l ca thedra ls li ke Par is , Char t res , or

Bourges

h a d f o r t y o r f i f t y m e d a l l i o n w i n d o w s , e a c h w i t h f i f t e e n t o t h i r t y

scenic un i t s . T w o th ings fo l l ow ed f ro m th is : f ir s t tha t the a r t o f nar ra t ing in

pictures

e x p e r i e n c e d a n e n o r m o u s u p s u r g e , a n d s e c o n d t h a t a c l i m a t e o f

competit ion o f e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n a n d o f r a p i d e x c h a n g e , a ro se . B o t h i n d i v i d

ual p ic tures and more ex tended nar ra t i ve cyc le s po in t to the fac t tha t the nar

rative c a n d e v e l o p w i t h m o r e f r e e d o m , m o r e c r e at iv i ty , a n d a c o h e r e n t i n t e r

nal s tructure . Short and long sequences , and s tructura l d iv is ions such as

beginning end , or c l imaxes , were w or ke d ou t mo re p rec i se ly than p rev ious ly ,

since much cou ld be assumed and o ther aspec ts needed on ly be a l luded to .

A fu r ther que s t ion i s then d i rec ted a t the re la t ionsh ip be tw ee n nar ra t ive

and

geom etr ic s t ruc tu r ing o f the w in d o w sur face . I t is c lear tha t so m eth ing

equivalent t o a n o r g a n i z a t i o n b y c h a p t e r s c a n b e e x p e c t e d o f a f i v e - p o i n t e d

star shape or a qua t re fo i l w i th a cen tra l m ot i f . Au gu s t S chm arso w , the f ir s t in

vestigator o f the nar ra t i ve s t ruc tures o f w in do w s , had app l ied th i s ex pec ta t io n

to the w indows o f the Char t res ca thedra l and po in ted to the fac t tha t in the

twelfth and th i r teen th cen tur ie s to ta l l y new forms arose in l i t e ra ture , p ro

claiming a ne ed for com preh ens ib le s t ruc tures.

1 8

T h e b e s t - k n o w n e x a m p l e

is

the sonne t , w h ic h w e o w e to thi s ep oc h o f the l y r i c . ) Cer ta in ly i t i s no t

altogether easy to dem ons t ra te th is co or d in a t i on o f f igure and nar ra t ive .

Schmarsow h im se l f d id no t succeed ; o thers a fte r h im app roac hed th e i ssue

from t h e w r o n g a n g l e, n a m e l y t h e i c o n o g r a p h i c a s p e ct , a n d w a n t e d t o r e a d

meaning

i n t o t h e g e o m e t r i c s h a pe s, o r el se t h e y d e m a n d e d t o o m u c h a n d

required

a ll m e d a l l i o n w i n d o w s t o h a v e a c o n s o n a n c e o f n a r ra t iv e a n d s t r u c

tural u n d e r p i n n i n g s .

1 9

T h e rea l s tate o f a f fa irs, o n th e oth er h an d, is that m an y

i s p o s i t o r s

co u l d no t m ee t the n ew cha l lenge o f a nar ra t i ve in f igures , w h i le

others i n v e n t e d f o r m s o f i n t e r a c t i o n b e t w e e n f r a m e w o r k a n d n a rr a t iv e t h a t

probably ec l ipse everyth ing poss ib le before or s ince .


11/15

FIGURE 4

o

D

Q

j

k

D O

i

D Q

m

I am speaking of several forms of cooperation, but here I can go into

only one of the most spectacular cases. In the Prodigal Son W in dow in

Bourges about 1210 A.D .) we find the biblical parable expanded at great

length

Fig. 4). In seventeen narrative fields the life of the prodigal son is de

picted

in great detail. The narrative flows with incredible continuity through

the difficult figures of the quatrefoils with their five sections and of the tri

partite rows formed by a circle and two half-quatrefoils.

20

This much may be

reconstructed from the illustrations and the explanation in the key Fig. 5).

Far left

P r o d i g a l S o n

W i n d o w , B o u r g e s

Cathedral.

FIGURE 5

Diagrammat i c

representation

o f t h e

Prodiga l S o n

W i n d o w ,

B o u r g e s

Cathedra l .

K e y : 1 2

3,

s i g n a t o r i e s o f t h e

Tanners G u i l d ; 4 t h e

prodigal

s o n d e m a n d s

hi s

i n h e r i t a n c e f r o m

hi s

f a t h e r ; 5 h e

receives

h i s i n h e r -

i tance;

6 , t h e e l d e r

son

i n t h e f i e l d s ; 7 ,

the

p r o d i g a l s o n

leaves h i s f a th e r s

house ;

8 , a r r i v a l a t t he

tavern;

9 , p r o d i g a l s o n

met

b y t h e h a r l o t s ;

1

c r o w n i n g o f t h e

prodigal

s o n ; 1 1 , h e i s

cast o u t ; 1 2 , h e

gambles

a w a y h i s

inheri tance;

1 3 , h e i s

cast

o u t a s e c o n d

t ime; 1 4 , h e h i r e s

h imse l f

ou t a s a

swineherd ;

1 5 , h e

exper iences

r e m o r s e ;

16

h e r e t u r n s h o m e

i n

c l o t h i n g o f a

swineherd ;

1 7 ,

s laughtering

o f t h e

fatted

c a l f ; 18 , feast at

hi s f a t h e r s h o u s e ; 1 9 ,

return h o m e o f th e

elder

s o n ; 2 0 , t h e

prodiga l

s on i s

reuni ted

w i t h h i s

father

a n d b r o t h e r .

2


12/15

22

W ha t is not imm ediately legible is the use of f igures to pro m ote a narrative

WolfgangKemp developm ent (figures that get in the way o f com preh ension wh en reading).

Here

we are no t far away fro m Eisenstein's dem an d for the m atic effects.

Each

scene in the window (with the exception of the representations of the

donors

[13] and the reconciliation scene) has a narrative counterpart. Each

scene

is mirrored across an axis separating the various orders: good and evil,

home

and foreign parts, above and below , before and after, seriousness and

joking.

O f

course the eight pairs do not yield consistently smooth rhythms. At

times the narrator has to seek refuge in mere analogies of form that have no

status

with in the narrative. A com parison betwee n the tw o three-figure rows

911,

1719) leads us into this prob lem area. T h e y are dedicated to the tw o

feasts in the parable the son's revels in the tavern and the celebration of his

return to the paternal home. Both round middle sections (10, 18) relate to

each

other as analogous in fo rm and event, wh ile the details can be reco g

nized

as different versions of the same process, divided into good and evil.

That is the no rm . Th us 4 and 12 yield sm ooth rhythm s of this kind - the

prodigal

son demands his inheritance from his father/he loses at gambling; 5

and 13 he gets the m on ey and bids farewell to his father/h e is throw n out

of the inn ; 7 and 15 - he rides off like a kni gh t into the distan ce/h e has to

look

after another man's pigs; 8 and 16 - he is received into the tave rn/

welcomed

back into his father's house.

Harder to understand are analogies such as those intended at the sides of

the

feasting scenes. T h e ba nishin g o f the prodigal son (11) and the return o f

the

elder son from the field (19) have nothing in common at the level of

events.

T h e artist manages to find here at least the c om m on factor o f co rre

spondence o f f o rm in both cases we have a scene with two figures on the

threshold of inside and outside of the field of representation. Episodes 9 and

17

offer a further variation of this mirroring, bearing no formal analogy and

only

a relatively weak narrative concordance. Above and below the feast is

being

prepared: in one case through the greeting and crowning of the prodi

gal son in the brothel, in the other through the slaughter of the fatted calf on

his

return to h is father's house . T h e m irro rin g here creates sense m ore as a

humorous

metaphor than from the positive-negative ordering

the prodigal

son is decked out like a beast for slaughter by the harlots, and feted so that af

terward

he can be taken apart.

21

Compared

with the portal of Santa Sabina the relationship between panel

narrative) and framework has been both compl icated and s impl i f ied. Sim

plified, because the story told has a strong sense of sequen ce. C om pli ca ted ,

because

this narrative flow

that is, a w h ol e story and no t just single episodes

or

sections is transformed through framing into an argumen t. A sequence

and

a system, both a structural and narrative co nn ectio n, are com bin ed w ith

each other. It looks like the question of the correct format and the claims of

Christian art were inseparable right to the end.


13/15

close with a final excursion into film history, to the year 1953. Although

the wide-screen technique of CinemaScope was first used in the fi lm ow to

rrya Millionaire directed by Jean Negu lesco), Tw en tieth -Ce ntu ry Fox held

this film back so as to bring out first the film version of the Passion of Christ

title The Robe directed by H en ry Koster). T h e era of the big films was to be

ushere in by the biggest theme of all.


14/15

Notes to Pages

4 1 4

WOLFGANG

KEM P - T H E NARR ATIVITY OF THE FRAME

1. Stephen Heath , Q u e s t i on s o f C i n e m a (B loo mi ng ton : Indiana Unive rsity Press, 1981), p . 11.

2.

Ibid.

3. Sergei Eise nste in . 'T he Dy na mic Square , a lecture g iven to the Technic ians Branch o f the

Academy o f Mot ion Picture Arts and Sciences , Fox Hi l l Stud ios , Ho l lywood , 17 Septem

ber 1930, publ ished in C l ose Up (M ar ch -Ju ne 1931); translation used here in Sergei Eis en-

stein,D a s d y n ami sc h e Q u ad r a t : S c h r i ft e n zu m Film (Le ipz ig : Re cla m, 1991) .

4. T h e key texts are col lected in Wo lfga ng Ke m p (ed.), T h e or i e d e r Fotograf ie v o l . 2 , 19 12 - 45

Munich: Sch irme r/Mo sel , 1979) , p . 76. O n the quest ion o f ex treme h igh or low v ie w

points see idem.,

F o t o - Essay s :

Zu r

Gesc l i ichte

u n d

T h e or i e

d e r

Fotograf ie

(M un i ch :

Schirmer/Mosel, 1978).

5. Eisenstein, Da s d y n ami sc h e Q u ad r a t p. 162.

6. Ibid., p. 176.

7.

Dav id Kunz l e , T h e H istory o f the Com ic S tr ip: T h e N i n e t e e n t h C e n t u r y (Los Angeles : Un ive r

sity of Cal i fornia Press, 1989).

8.

G. V. Graeven itz , M en ior ia u nd Rea l ismus: Erzahlend e Literatur in der deutschen 'B i l -

dungspresse des 19. Jahrhu nderts, in A . Hav erkam p and R . Lac hm ann (eds.), Me mor i a :

Ve r g e sse n

u n d E r i n n e r n (M un ich : Fink , 1993), p . 271.

9. Ro d o lp h e To ep ffe r,

H istoi re

d e

M . J ab ot

(Ge nev a: n.p., 1833 ), p. 39.

10. Friedrich Schlegel , F r ag me n t e zu r Poe s i e u n d L i teratur edited by H. Eichner (Krit ische

Friedrich-Schlegel edit ion) v ol . 17, no. 1 (Mu nic h: Fin k, 1981), p . 92.


15/15

C. Gi lbert, Peintres et menuisiers au debut de la Renaissa nce i tal ienne, in R e v u e de V A r t

37 (1977), p. 44.

2 O n the com posite character of medieva l art see Wo lfga ng Kem p, Me diev al Pictorial Sys

tems, in B. Cassidy (ed.), I c o n o g r a p h y at the C r o s s r o a d s (Pr inceton , N. J . : Pr ince ton Un ive r

sityPress, 1993).

13.

Th is does no t refer to Eisenstein's aesthetics of fi lm , w hi ch w e have already seen as aim ing

to create its effects from precisely this confrontation of visibly different pictorial units.

14. B. Jeremias, Die

H o l z t i i r

de r

B a s i l ik a

S

S a b i n a

in Rom (Tub ingen : Was muth , 1980) .

15. Wo l fg ang Kem p , C h r i s tl ic h e K u n s t : I h r e A n f a n g e i h r e S t r u k t u r e n (M un i ch : Sch i rm e r / M o se l ,

1994).

16.

O n the re lat ionsh ip between w in do w op ening , ornam entat ion and g lass paint ing see W ol f

gang Ke mp , Paral lelismus als Fo rmp rinzip : Z u m Bibelfenster der Dreik onigsk apel le des

Kolner D o m s ,

K b l n e r D o m b l a t t

56 (1991), p . 259.

17. A t that t ime i t was possible for a theolog ian to defin e the art of proclam ation in ch urch -

namely the serm on - in the terms, the interpretation of H ol y Scripture by div is ion and

subdivision.

Ci ted i n Ra y m o n d F . H o wes ,

H i s t o r ic a l S t u d i e s

of

R h e t o r i c

an d

R h e t o r i c i a n s

(Ithaca,N. Y. : C orn el l Un iversity Press, 1961), p . 82.

18. A . Schmarsow,

K o m p o s i t i o n s g e s e t z e

in der

K u n s t

de s

M i t te l a l t e r s

(Bo nn - Le ip z ig : Kur t

Schroder, 1 9 1 9 - 2 2 ) .

19. S . G . Nicho ls , R o m a n e s q u e S i g n s : E a r l y M e d i e v a l N a r r a t i v e s an d I c o n o g r a p h y (N ew H av en ,

Conn.:Yale

University Press, 1983), p. 95.

20. For a mo re deta iled d iscuss ion o f the win do w see Wo l fgang K em p,

S e r m o c o r p o r e u s :

Die

E r z d h l u n g de r

m i t te l a l t e r li c h e n G l a s f e n s t e r

(M un i ch : Sch i rm er / M o s e l , 1987), p p . 46 - 5 6 .

21. In a favorite boo k o f the Mid dle A ges devo ted to the sayings of So lo m on , there is a tale

about a fool ish lad w h o falls for a we nc h dressed up as a prosti tute: H e imm edia tely fo l

lows

her, l ike an o x to the slaughter.

kemp the narrativity of the frame 1996

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