The Triumphant Entry of Christ into Jerusalem thumbnail 1
The Triumphant Entry of Christ into Jerusalem thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Cast Courts, Room 46b, The Weston Cast Court

The Triumphant Entry of Christ into Jerusalem

Plaster Cast
ca. 1140-1150 (sculpted), 1869-1870 (cast)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This is a copy of a mosaic depicting The Triumphant Entry of Christ into Jerusalem, by an unidentified Venetian sculptor, 1140-50, from the Capella Palatina in the Royal Palace, Palermo. This scene forms part of the New Testament cycle in the North and South transepts of the Cappella Palatina on the South wall of the south transept. The Capella Palatina was the royal chapel of the Norman kings of Sicily, erected during the reign of Roger II (1105-54) by about 1132-40, with superb mosaic decoration extending into the second half of the 12th century. The mosaics have undergone several campaigns of restoration, and the Entry into Jerusalem was among the scenes to suffer during the 19th century at the hand of Rosario Riolo according to Otto Demus (The Mosaics of Norman Sicily, London, 1949, p. 36). The same Rosario Riolo was also responsible for this copy, executed between 1869-70, which therefore can be considered a faithful replica of the original.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe Triumphant Entry of Christ into Jerusalem (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Mosaic
Brief description
Copy of a mosaic depicting The Triumphant Entry of Christ into Jerusalem, by an unidentified Venetian sculptor, 1140-50, from the Capella Palatina in the Royal Palace, Palermo, copy executed by Signor Rosario Riolo, Palermo, 1869-70
Physical description
Copy of a mosaic depicting copy The Triumphant Entry of Christ into Jerusalem, by an unidentified Venetian sculptor, 1140-50, from the Capella Palatina in the Royal Palace, Palermo
Object history
Commissioned from Rosario Riolo at a cost of £324 1s 1d in 1869.
Historical context
This scene forms part of the New Testament cycle in the North and South transepts of the Cappella Palatina on the South wall of the south transept. The Capella Palatina was the royal chapel of the Norman kings of Sicily, erected during the reign of Roger II (1105-54) by about 1132-40, with superb mosaic decoration extending into the second half of the 12th century. The mosaics have undergone several campaigns of restoration, and the Entry into Jerusalem was among the scenes to suffer during the 19th century at the hand of Rosario Riolo according to Otto Demus (The Mosaics of Norman Sicily, London, 1949, p. 36). The same Rosario Riolo was also responsible for this copy, executed between 1869-70, which therefore can be considered a faithful replica of the original.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This is a copy of a mosaic depicting The Triumphant Entry of Christ into Jerusalem, by an unidentified Venetian sculptor, 1140-50, from the Capella Palatina in the Royal Palace, Palermo. This scene forms part of the New Testament cycle in the North and South transepts of the Cappella Palatina on the South wall of the south transept. The Capella Palatina was the royal chapel of the Norman kings of Sicily, erected during the reign of Roger II (1105-54) by about 1132-40, with superb mosaic decoration extending into the second half of the 12th century. The mosaics have undergone several campaigns of restoration, and the Entry into Jerusalem was among the scenes to suffer during the 19th century at the hand of Rosario Riolo according to Otto Demus (The Mosaics of Norman Sicily, London, 1949, p. 36). The same Rosario Riolo was also responsible for this copy, executed between 1869-70, which therefore can be considered a faithful replica of the original.
Bibliographic references
  • Hittorf, J.J., and L. Zanth, Architecture moderne de la Sicile, ou Recueil des plus beaux monuments religieux, et des édifices publics et particuliers les plus remarquables de la Sicile, Paris, Imprimé chez P. Renouard, 1835, p. 75, n. 3
  • Buscemi, Niccolò, Notizie della Basilica di San Pietro delta la Cappella Regia, Palermo, [Italy : s.n.], 1840, pl. 12
  • Appel, J.W., Christian mosaic pictures : a catalogue of reproductions of Christian mosaics exhibited in the South Kensington Museum, London: HMSO, 1877, pp. 16-17
Other number
SCP.LOST.190 - Previous LOST number
Collection
Accession number
REPRO.2014-1

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Record createdOctober 5, 2006
Record URL
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