San Sperate

Baptismal font dated probably to the date of the building of the church itself, 1616; the font is a low cylindrical tub with a lid probably of the same period; the sides of the font are framed at either end by mouldings; between the mouldings the following are carved in low-relief: baptism of Christ (John the Baptist holds a cross in his left hand and pours the water over Christ's head with the right); at 90-degree angles of this scene are: to the left, a dove in a cloud, probably the Holy Ghost and meant to be part of the batism scene, although there is a wide gap between them; to the right, again with a noticeable gap, what appears to be the waters of the Jordan (or a foliage motif); not visible in the source [cf. infra], a lion. A low-to-medium-dome cover appears on the basin [source (with image of the font): www.sansperate.net/artcult/parrocchia.html]