Pilaster of Angels Sounding Trumpets from the Parapet of a Pulpit 1302 - 1310

Editor: This exquisite marble carving, "Pilaster of Angels Sounding Trumpets from the Parapet of a Pulpit" by Giovanni Pisano, dates back to the early 14th century. The way the angels are stacked and poised to play their trumpets… it's both delicate and monumental. What first strikes you about this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, Giovanni Pisano. A bit of a rebel in his time, really. Ditching the serene stiffness of earlier Gothic sculpture for something with, shall we say, a little more *drama*. What grabs me is that tension you pointed out – this solid, earthly material transformed into something so ethereal, poised between heaven and earth. You see how their wings, almost roughly hewn, contrast with the smoother faces? It’s like a deliberate dance between the divine and the… well, less so. Do you sense that disconnect too, or am I just hearing my own trumpet a bit too loudly? Editor: I do, actually! It's like they’re almost struggling to contain the sound. There's definitely an earthiness in their expressions, especially the kneeling angel. Curator: Exactly! They’re not just passively angelic, are they? They're *actively* making music, almost wrestling it into existence. This piece was part of a pulpit, remember. Imagine its impact: booming sermons, and then these angels adding a visual fanfare! A complete sensory experience... the power of theatre elevated by the divine. It all comes back to how it plays with the space around it, doesn’t it? Editor: That totally changes how I see it. So much more dynamic when you consider it as part of a performance. Curator: Indeed. Pisano knew exactly what he was doing. Now, off you go and see what other rebellious sounds these old stones have to share, my friend. Editor: Thank you, I definitely will. This really gave me a whole new appreciation for medieval art!