DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.52594#0593
Christian Art.
D. Mustilli: Il Musco Mussolini p. 99; on its Christian applic-
ation see E. Strong: Apotheosis and After Life p. 200 seq.).
On Christian sarcophagi cf. v. Sybel: Christliche Antike
II; for the motives on our sarcophagus cf. 1. c. fig. 45 and
p. 194 (grape pressing), pp. 85 and 103 seq. (the good
shepherd and the Orante as counterparts at the ends). The
coupling of the bearded shepherd with the Orante is simply
the earliest motive in Early Christian sarcophagus sculpture
(cf. Fr. Gerke: Die christlichen Sarkophage der vorkonstan-
tinischen Zeit p. 55). In Nos. 830 a and 832 the Glyptotek
possesses two of the earliest Christian sculptures known.
Tilteg til Billedtavler pl. XIV. Fr. Gerke 1. c. p. 346.
831. (I. N. 1473). Roman ambo. M.
H. 0.84, B. 0.46, D. 0.37. The top left corner damaged. Acquired
1896 from the part of the Martinelli estate which had passed to the
dealer Mariotti at Venice.
The nucleus is an old Roman Ara of bluish-grey marble,
though the only trace of it is a few remains of inverted
letters on the right side. This shows that the mediaeval
sculptor made use of the ancient block but retained nothing
of the antique decoration. What he did do, however, was
to copy the usual decorative elements of antique cinerary
urns (cf. No. 796), such as the two ram heads on the front
carrying the heavy fruit garland at which two long-necked
birds (cf. No. 801) are pecking. Above the garland is the
Agnus Dei with halo and cross and above this again the
tablet with the following inscription:
+ ME AMBROSIUS SCULPSIT,
PETRUS ABBAS SCULPERE IUSSIT
MARMORE QUI VIVO TEMPLUM FUN-
DAVIT AB IMO.
ECCE AGNUS DEI, ECCE Q. TOLLIS
PECCATA MUNDI.
On the cornice above the typical mediaeval Latin of the
inscription tablet we read:
PONDUS FERT ISTE CAPITI MANIBUSQ.
A rustic-looking man with moustache and long chin bears
the original top plate on his head and upraised hands and has
589
D. Mustilli: Il Musco Mussolini p. 99; on its Christian applic-
ation see E. Strong: Apotheosis and After Life p. 200 seq.).
On Christian sarcophagi cf. v. Sybel: Christliche Antike
II; for the motives on our sarcophagus cf. 1. c. fig. 45 and
p. 194 (grape pressing), pp. 85 and 103 seq. (the good
shepherd and the Orante as counterparts at the ends). The
coupling of the bearded shepherd with the Orante is simply
the earliest motive in Early Christian sarcophagus sculpture
(cf. Fr. Gerke: Die christlichen Sarkophage der vorkonstan-
tinischen Zeit p. 55). In Nos. 830 a and 832 the Glyptotek
possesses two of the earliest Christian sculptures known.
Tilteg til Billedtavler pl. XIV. Fr. Gerke 1. c. p. 346.
831. (I. N. 1473). Roman ambo. M.
H. 0.84, B. 0.46, D. 0.37. The top left corner damaged. Acquired
1896 from the part of the Martinelli estate which had passed to the
dealer Mariotti at Venice.
The nucleus is an old Roman Ara of bluish-grey marble,
though the only trace of it is a few remains of inverted
letters on the right side. This shows that the mediaeval
sculptor made use of the ancient block but retained nothing
of the antique decoration. What he did do, however, was
to copy the usual decorative elements of antique cinerary
urns (cf. No. 796), such as the two ram heads on the front
carrying the heavy fruit garland at which two long-necked
birds (cf. No. 801) are pecking. Above the garland is the
Agnus Dei with halo and cross and above this again the
tablet with the following inscription:
+ ME AMBROSIUS SCULPSIT,
PETRUS ABBAS SCULPERE IUSSIT
MARMORE QUI VIVO TEMPLUM FUN-
DAVIT AB IMO.
ECCE AGNUS DEI, ECCE Q. TOLLIS
PECCATA MUNDI.
On the cornice above the typical mediaeval Latin of the
inscription tablet we read:
PONDUS FERT ISTE CAPITI MANIBUSQ.
A rustic-looking man with moustache and long chin bears
the original top plate on his head and upraised hands and has
589