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Colonette

12th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Sicily (made)

This porphyry colonette was probably made in the 12th century Sicily. It has been suggested by the donor that this may have come from the tomb of William I the Bad (d. 1166) at Monreale where it may have been used on the canopy standing in the architrave supporting the apex of the roof. The question of this monument is Palermo Cathedral has however been far from satisfactorily treated.


Object details

Category
Architecture
Object type
Colonette
Materials and techniques
Porphyry
Brief description
Colonette; porphyry. Sicilian 12th century.
Physical description
Colenette in porphyry.
Dimensions
  • Height: 68.5cm
  • Diameter: 11.5cm
Summary
This porphyry colonette was probably made in the 12th century Sicily. It has been suggested by the donor that this may have come from the tomb of William I the Bad (d. 1166) at Monreale where it may have been used on the canopy standing in the architrave supporting the apex of the roof. The question of this monument is Palermo Cathedral has however been far from satisfactorily treated.
Bibliographic references
  • Alberti, L. Descrittione di tutta, Italia. Venetia, 1568. p. 57.
  • Fazallus. Reum Sicularum scrtptores. Frankfurt, 1579. p. 427.
  • Fazallus. De Rebus Seculi. 1960. p. 468.
  • Lello, G. L. Historia della chiesa di Monreale. Rome, 1596. pp. 29-30.
  • Inveges. Palermo Nobile. vol. III. of Annali della felice citta di Palermo. 1651. pp. 366, 385, 391.
  • del Giudici, M. Descrizione del Real tempio di Monreale. 1702. p. 29. pl. 6. no. 22.
  • Priore Amico, P. Lexicon Topographicum Siculum. II., 1759. pp. 371-372.
  • Daniele, F. I Regali Sepolchri del Duomo di Palermo. 1784, pp. 37 ff.
  • Tarallo. Memoira sopra i reali Sepolchri. In: Giornale di Scienze e lettere e arti per la Sicilia. Palermo, 1826. tomes XV, XVI.
  • Serradifalco, I. Del Duomo di Monreale. 1838. p. 2.
  • Gregorio. Dei Regalia Sepolchri di Palermo. Opere Scelte III. 1845. p. 699.
  • Gravina. Il duomo di Monreale. 1838. p. 2.
  • di Marzo. Della Belle Arti in Sicillia. II., 1862. p. 267.
  • Dehli and Chamberlain. Norman monuments of Palermo and Environs. 1892. pls. 9-10.
  • Venturi. Storia. III., 1904. p. 619.
  • Deér, J. The dynastic porphyry tombs of the Norman period in Sicily. Cambridge; Mass, 1959. pp. 77-79.
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
A.172-1929

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O309119/colonette-unknown/
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