The Sacred Threshold: Visualizing the ‘Other’ on Buvina’s Doors within Dalmatian Artistic Context
Abstract
Andrija Buvina’s wooden doors of Split Cathedral (1214) exemplify the threshold as a symbolic passage between the profane and the sacred. Through twenty-eight panels depicting scenes from Christ’s life – from the Incarnation to the Ascension – they construct an anagogical narrative of redemption guiding the viewer into sacred space. While Ljubo Karaman’s 1942 study remains the most comprehensive iconographic interpretation, it addresses questions of religious alterity only in passing. This article reexamines that dimension, highlighting how visual strategies of representing the ‘Other’ deepen our understanding of Buvina’s programme.
Presentato: 30 Agosto 2025 | Accettato: 30 Ottobre 2025 | Pubblicato 15 Dicembre 2025 | Lingua: it
Keywords Iconography • Split Cathedral • Christological narrative • Threshold symbolism • Religious alterity • Medieval Dalmatia
Copyright © 2025 Ivana Capeta Rakic. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/VA/2385-2720/2025/01/001