A French Gothic Ciborium in an Italian Medieval City
Title
Subject
Description
Upon entering Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, one’s eyes are attracted to the large carved stone structure that appears to compliment the apse’s mosaic. This structure is a ciborium and is one of the well-known creations of the sculptor Arnolfo di Cambio (1240-1310).
Prior to the construction of Arnolfo’s ciborium there was a canopy standing in its place. According to the Liber Pontificalis, this canopy was a gift from Paschal in his reconstruction of the church in 821 and was made from 600 pounds and 8 ounces of silver.
Completed in 1293, the present-day ciborium is modeled after the French gothic style, as seen in the many spires and the rose window-like structure. This early style was at its peak popularity in France about three decades before Arnolfo’s ciborium and it was out of date by the end of the 14th century in France.
Visitors before the late 13th century would have seen a shorter canopy compared to the present-day ciborium. From the left corner nearest to the nave and counter-clockwise, each corner has a statue that represents Santa Cecilia, San Valerian, San Tibertius, and Pope Urban (Bo 2008, 4-7). According to legend, San Valerian and San Tibertius are her husband and brother-in-law, respectively. The spandrels, areas between the arch and the horizontal enclosure, have reliefs of the Four Evangelists, two unknown prophets, and visual depictions of the Parable of the Wide and Foolish Virgins.
Abstract
Creator
Source
Bo, Ragnhild Marthine. 2008. “The Iconography of the Gothic Ciborium in Rome, c. 1285-1370.” Medievalista 4: 1-14.
Davis, Raymond. The Lives of the Ninth-century Popes (Liber Pontificalis): The Ancient Biographies of Ten Popes from A.D. 817-891. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 1995.
de Blaauw, Sible. 2009. “High Altar Ciboria and Roman Liturgical Traditions.” In: Arnolfo’s Moment. Acts of an International Conference Florence, Villa I Tatti, May 26-27, 2006. David Friedman, Julian Gardner, Margaret Haines, eds. Florence (Leo S. Olschki).
Krautheimer, Richard. Rome: Profile of a City, 312-1308. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1980. 214.  ,
Identifier
Coverage
Spatial Coverage
Description
Upon entering Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, one’s eyes are attracted to the large carved stone structure that appears to compliment the apse’s mosaic. This structure is a ciborium and is one of the well-known creations of the sculptor Arnolfo di Cambio (1240-1310).
Prior to the construction of Arnolfo’s ciborium there was a canopy standing in its place. According to the Liber Pontificalis, this canopy was a gift from Paschal in his reconstruction of the church in 821 and was made from 600 pounds and 8 ounces of silver.
Completed in 1293, the present-day ciborium is modeled after the French gothic style, as seen in the many spires and the rose window-like structure. This early style was at its peak popularity in France about three decades before Arnolfo’s ciborium and it was out of date by the end of the 14th century in France.
Visitors before the late 13th century would have seen a shorter canopy compared to the present-day ciborium. From the left corner nearest to the nave and counter-clockwise, each corner has a statue that represents Santa Cecilia, San Valerian, San Tibertius, and Pope Urban (Bo 2008, 4-7). According to legend, San Valerian and San Tibertius are her husband and brother-in-law, respectively. The spandrels, areas between the arch and the horizontal enclosure, have reliefs of the Four Evangelists, two unknown prophets, and visual depictions of the Parable of the Wide and Foolish Virgins.
Creator
Jenny Nguyen (2017)Coverage
1200sSource
Bo, Ragnhild Marthine. 2008. “The Iconography of the Gothic Ciborium in Rome, c. 1285-1370.” Medievalista 4: 1-14.
Davis, Raymond. The Lives of the Ninth-century Popes (Liber Pontificalis): The Ancient Biographies of Ten Popes from A.D. 817-891. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 1995.
de Blaauw, Sible. 2009. “High Altar Ciboria and Roman Liturgical Traditions.” In: Arnolfo’s Moment. Acts of an International Conference Florence, Villa I Tatti, May 26-27, 2006. David Friedman, Julian Gardner, Margaret Haines, eds. Florence (Leo S. Olschki).
Krautheimer, Richard. Rome: Profile of a City, 312-1308. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1980. 214.  ,