Kansel door Giovanni Pisano in het Museo civico te Pisa, Italië 1860 - 1881

This photograph captures Giovanni Pisano's pulpit, a remarkable piece of medieval sculpture, now housed in the Museo Civico of Pisa. The pulpit is adorned with relief panels depicting scenes from the Life of Christ, each panel brimming with figures caught in moments of intense emotion. Note the presence of classical figures interspersed with Christian iconography. These all'antica figures, inspired by ancient Roman art, evoke a sense of authority. This juxtaposition of classical form and Christian narrative is an allegorical representation of the fusion between ancient wisdom and Christian revelation. The motif of the draped figure, a common one throughout the panels, has its roots in antiquity, reappearing in countless guises across time. Yet, each time this archetype is revived, it carries with it the accumulated weight of cultural memory. It transcends its original context, becoming a vessel for new meanings while still retaining echoes of its origins.