Baptismal font of St. Thomas (Fonte battesimale di San Tommaso)

Highlights

Baptismal font, in marble material, located in the Church of St. Thomas.

Neither the origin nor the ancient location is precisely known: only assumptions are made that could be corroborated by historical elements.

The most probable is perhaps that of the "puteal" and that is, the parapet of a well.

Only conjectures are made to whom belonged this well: the most truthful is that of a votive character to Jupiter.

It is made of marble to which the centuries have given the shade of ivory.

Made from a single block it has a cylindrical shape slightly tapered at the top.

The projecting upper edge is decorated with a frame of ovules (common molding of the Roman period); the lower edge is ornamented with very simple curvilinear motifs.

The outer surface of the cylinder is embellished with elegant grooves, sharp-edged, with tortile trend.

The interior is completely hollow with a flat bottom probably added in later times.

The author is undoubtedly an excellent stone carver who demonstrated the ability to "shape" marble with skill and elegance, creating a refined and pictorially interesting whole.

The "object" is located in St. Thomas for centuries: the earliest mentions date back to 1500 and speak of it as a baptismal font.

It was probably found in the Canelli area in medieval times, perhaps during the works on the construction of the church in the 10th century.

Insights

Comune di Canelli
https://www.comune.canelli.at.it/

Wikipedia, l'enciclopedia libera.
https://it.wikipedia.org

Canelli
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canelli

Baptismal font of St. Thomas (Fonte battesimale di San Tommaso)

Highlights

Insights

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