Doorway from the Church of San Nicolò, San Gemini

Date: carved 1000s, assembled 1100s or 1200s

Geography: Made in San Gemini, Umbria, Central Italy

Culture: Central Italian

Medium: Marble (Lunense marble from Carrara)

Dimensions: H. 11 ft. 9 in. x 8 ft. 4 in. (358.4 x 254.2 cm)

Classification: Sculpture-Architectural

Credit Line: Fletcher Fund, 1947

Accession Number: 47.100.45a–g

Description

This doorway is an example of the reuse of materials during the life of a single medieval church. All of the marble used to make the doorway originally came from the ruins of Roman buildings in the vicinity of the church. Displaying divergent styles and techniques, the principal elements were carved at different times in the 1000s, with the lions made even earlier. The whole was assembled for the church some 100 to 200 years later.

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