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This is a representation of Satan contained inside the Baptistery of Florence. It is a mosaic. It dates back to 1260-70 and is the work of Coppo di Marcovaldo. The mosaic is not seen in the pano 16347, but you can guess the location (label "inferno", at the bottom).
The representation of Hell is dominated by the great horned Satan, on a throne inflamed, nibbling a man, while two snakes come out of the ears, engulfing other damned. Monsters in the shape of a snake, frog or lizard come out from his body and rage on the damned.
Other damned are thrown into pits, or hanged, mutilated, burned on a spit, beaten or forced to drink molten gold; a group of damned is engulfed in flames.
Do not worry, tomorrow I take it out :-).
But, if it does not disturb anyone, I leave it.
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Comments
Ciao, Alvise
1) It is one of the most famous medieval representations of Satan and hell. Now that we are in the era of Internet, these images may seem naive. Internet has accustomed us to worst images.
But in the Middle Ages these images in churches had a precise meaning and were not rare. They were warnings to the faithful. The "sinners" could see the fate that awaited them...
2) Also from the artistic point of view, is a mosaic important. The design was made by Coppo di Marcovaldo, a Florentine painter, whose fusion of both the Italian and Byzantine styles had great influence on generations of Italian artists.
The workers were probably instead Venetian. Some details of the mosaic are similar to those of San Marco in Venice. And in the Basilica of Torcello (Venice), there is another significant representation of Satan.
3) Dante, the greatest Italian poet, was baptized in this Baptistery and often frequented. These images may have inspired Dante's Inferno.
Greetings Wolfgang
Greetings Wolfgang
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