Torcello No. 2

Noted in Masolino (1964). Described and illustrated in Barasch (1971): "remarkable [...] holy-water basin in the Cathedral of Torcello [...] probably a work of the late eleventh century", which he notes as having some common elements with the basin of a stoup at Acre [cf. Index entry for Acre No. 2]. Noted in 'Culture of the Orthodox Church' [www.odox.net/Liturgy-Western-Culture2.htm]: "11th-century holy water stoup". The stoup consists of a roughly hemispherical basin decorated with a band of plamette motif around the upper basin side, four human heads at 90-degree angles, and four animals upside down also at 90-degree angles in the position of handles; there is much damage to the upper rim, especially on the sides near the wall; below the underbowl is another band of foiliated motif, and four (?) full-figure hieratic-looking humans seated and with their hands on their laps, forming the support, much as atlante or cariatide figures usually do; this is raised on a columnar stem, a round moulded lower base and a small square plinth.