Holy-water Font

Follower of Guglielmus Italian

On view at The Met Cloisters in Gallery 02

Scenes of the life of Saint Rainerius encircle this font. The son of a merchant of Pisa, he lived for a time in the Holy Land. The saint wears a hair shirt, emblematic of his austere life. Several of Rainerius’ miracles involve holy water; his legend is thus appropriate for a font. Rainerius became the patron saint of Pisa following his death in 1160. Carved in high relief from fine marble, the font probably was created in the workshop of a sculptor named Guglielmus, who was responsible for much of the interior stone decoration of Pisa Cathedral.

Holy-water Font, Follower of Guglielmus (Italian, active 1158–65), Marble (Carrara marble), Italian

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Holy-water Font, Follower of Guglielmus (Italian, active 1158–65), Marble (Carrara marble), Italian
Holy-water Font, Follower of Guglielmus (Italian, active 1158–65), Marble (Carrara marble), Italian

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