Grottaferrata

This font located in the church of the monastery (Abbaziale di San Nilo) consists of a cylindrical basin mounted on four free-standing animals (much damaged: winged lions? griffins?). The basin is ornamented with scenes, the one visible in the source [cf. infra] shows a man, seated upon a mount like structure with a large ornate door, fishing with a line. There is an ornamented slightly domed cover (Lallov, 1934). Described and illustrated in Nordström (1984: 15); Bilbao (1996: 71) mentions two men fishing and a neaophyte submerging in the waters on it. J.P. Sonnen's The Abbey of Santa Maria di Grottaferrata (9 Nov. 2022) [https://www.liturgicalartsjournal.com/2022/11/the-abbey-of-santa-maria-di.html] [accessed 5 January 2023] notes: "On the left [of the main door] is a marble baptismal font, a Byzantine work of the 9th century with symbolic bas-relief representations. It depicts man stripping of his garments (i.e. his sins); he plunges himself into baptismal waters and is transformed into a fish, a symbol of Christ. On the right is an icon of the Resurrection." Illustrated in Eurpeana [cf. ImagesArea] and in Getty [http://vocab.getty.edu/aat/300080617], with source the BYZART collection of the University of Bologna [https://historica.unibo.it/handle/20.500.14008/2457] [accessed 5 January 2023]: "Grottaferrata, S. Nilo abbey, cylindrical baptismal font decorated with fishing scenes, standing on a pedestal (the pedestal has the shape of winged lions)" There are a number of small naked figures fishing or jumping into the water, while plenty of small fish swim around; two of the small figures sit atop a mound that has a very elaborate door into it; on the opposite side of the cylinder is a tall standing male figure, as tall as the whole height of the basin, also naked and in a 'passant regardant' pose, the head turnrd to the viewer; he holds a large urn or amphora pouring water into the river; two large fish swim at his feet, not at like like the other little ones, but larger and sturgeon- or dolphin-like.