Hidden Treasures From Ravello - 2

[endlessrarities]

Here's my second visit to the carved stone repository at Ravello, though tonight I've let a mosaic panel sneak in, too.  Every item had the 'Wow!' factor, as far as I was concerned, and most seem to date to the 1270s, making them contemporary with the highly ornate ambo that I featured a few days back - and yesterday's carved capital.  This is quite surprising, as the artistic styles differ markedly from one piece to another.

My first item is a figure who carries a falcon in one hand, and unfortunately I have absolutely no information to hand about this particular sculpture:-

 

Compared with yesterday's capital, the carving looks less naive, and therefore I'd tentatively guess that it was later, but...  As my final item today demonstrates, the degree of realism and complexity in a sculpture or artwork in this neck of the woods (as in any neck of the woods, I suppose) does not necessarily indicate its date of origin, so any such assumptions must be viewed very cautiously indeed.

The Lamb of God below, which combines mosaic work and sculpture, is dated to 1279, and is much more stylised:-

 

As is this eagle (representing St John, I presume), which though undated, is very similar in style:-

 

Contrast this with the female bust featured below.  She's believed to represent Sigilgaita Rufolo, and has been attributed to Nicola Bartolomeo de Foggia, the artist who created the monumental ambo I featured previously.  Again, the date is in the 1270s:-

She's very beautiful, but I thought I'd leave this place with one last mosaic.  This time it's a wyvern decorating a marble revetment.  It's so reminiscent of the Jonah sea-beasts that I can't wondering if it came off an earlier ambo, contemporary with the existing 12th century one and perhaps dismantled and replaced by a more ornate 13th century equivalent.  Well, it's a theory, isn't it?

Comments

[technophobe1975.livejournal.com]

Considering their age, there is a surprising amount of detail on the eagle, especially the feathers and I like the way they have managed to portray the wool on the lamb.

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

They're deceptively simple in appearance...

[clairehawthorn.livejournal.com]

All are absolutely beautiful although I think my favourite is the figure in the first photo, I rather like the simplicity of it.

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

You see, I think my favourite's the lamb. It remainds me a wee bit of Lamb Chop (now I'm showing my age...)

[changeling72.livejournal.com]

Is that a dog at the feet of the falconer?

All beautiful.

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

It is. They must have been part of the huntin', shootin' and hawkin' set.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Love the dragon/wyvern/whatever! :o)

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

Isn't it gorgeous??