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St John the Baptist Presenting a Knight
Relief
Mid 14th century (made)
PLACE OF ORIGIN - Lombardy (made)
This relief depicts St John the Baptist presenting a Knight. The inscription on the reverse seems to refer to the reconstruction of an altar in 1575, and the relief may have formed part of a small altar covering.
MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES - Marble
Section of an arcaded relief. The Saint, who is shown standing in full face holding a cross and scroll inscribed ECCE, rests his right hand on the diminutive kneeling figure of the Knight. To the right is a shield. The relief is broken across the right hand side. Traces of yellow paint are on the shield and there are remains of pigmentation in the right spandrel. On the back is an inscription.
The carving visible in the surviving portion of the right-hand spandrel is either part of the seated figure of Christ or the throne of a Virgin and child.
DIMENSIONS
Height: 56.4cm
Width: 60.3cm
MARKS AND INSCRIPTIONS - MNE IN ALIENAM FAMILIAM ATVR CAVTVM FVIT NVNC ATER HAERESQ IO ANTONII LIOREM FORMAM RESTIV - DOMA DIS IN EO RES SACRA CRVM DIE DIVO LAVRENTIO ARIA CENSUM DVCATORVM ELICTIS MANV NOTARII VGVSTI M D LXXV (Inscription; decoration; Latin; On the reverse of the relief.)
OBJECT HISTORY - Purchased in Rome (Castellani, £10)
The inscription refers to the construction of an altar in 1515, and in this event the relief would have formed part of a small paliotto of a type which exists in the Duomo at Mantua and Santa Maria in Oregano at Verona.