On the Decorations on the Throne of St. Mark

The four figures, bull on the right, human on the left, eagle top back, human lower back, are NOT the four evangelists, and they are NOT shown with wind rushing past. Each is shown as having six wings. Look carefully for the different shorter feathers at the base of each wing, as opposed to the pinions. (Pinions are the long wing-feathers used for flying). The figures are from Ezechiel I and X, with a reference back to the Divine Throne seen by the Elders in Exodus XXIV:11. This is the lower level of vision, when the God of Israel is seen. This is not the level of Moses.

The figures have SIX wings each, not four as in Ezekiel. Those seen by Ezechiel were the Cherubs (Keruvim) on which God sits or the Divine Throne rests (Psalm LXXX:2); whereas these are Seraphs, which have six wings (Isaiah VI:2). The Cherubs in Ezekiel have four faces EACH. The positioning is human at the front, lion on the right, bull on the left, eagle at the back. The positioning of the faces of the Seraphs on the throne is eagle front (drawn on the back top), bull on the right, human on the left, lion at the back. I think we are meant to see each Seraph as having these four faces, just as each Cherub has four faces.

Some have suggested that this is a model of the Divine Throne. They have suggested it was made little so that no-one could sit in it.

My feeling now is that the figures on all sides are original, even though no-one would normally see the figures on the back and sides. They have to be there even if most of the time no-one can see them. It is like the decorations and figures high up in cathedrals.

They all have a book. The eagle, lion, and bull hold it in their mouths. But only the book carried by the eagle has writing showing.