Il Battesimo di Gesu
Chiesa di San Lorenzo Giustiniani, Venezia.
Il Battesimo di Gesù in marmo, pietre e vetro di Murano, ha una composizione piramidale, al vertice c’è lo Spirito Santo nella forma di colomba, secondo le parole del Vangelo di Luca e Matteo. La luce d’oro è lo Spirito Santo che scende, con il battesimo e con le parole di Dio.
Dal Vangelo secondo Luca: « Quando tutto il popolo fu battezzato e mentre Gesù, ricevuto anche lui il battesimo, stava in preghiera, il cielo si aprì e scese su di lui lo Spirito Santo in apparenza corporea, come di colomba, e vi fu una voce dal cielo: «Tu sei il mio figlio prediletto, in te mi sono compiaciuto» ».
A sinistra di Gesù ci sono tre angeli che richiamano la S.S. Trinità, uno dei quali inginocchiato tiene in mano il telo, simbolo della purezza, considerato candida veste per Gesù, ma anche per tutta la Chiesa.
A destra vediamo san Giovanni Battista vestito con l’abito di peli di cammello; regge un lungo bastone sormontato da una piccola croce, attributo principale nell’iconografia del Battista, che annuncia l’Agnello di Dio, ricordandoci il Suo destino, versa l’acqua per battezzare Gesù che è al centro della composizione come colonna portante della fede, immerso nelle acque del Giordano. La figura di Gesù si fonde in una parte con l’acqua, fonte di salvezza, mostrandosi come strada della Verità.
La palma a destra è albero, simbolo di vita, ma indica anche l’annuncio del destino di Gesù, come la domenica delle palme o domenica della passione del Signore; le tre montagne a destra richiamano la S.S. Trinità e con quella a sinistra i quattro Evangelisti dei testi sacri.
La parete curva del battistero accoglie i nuovi battezzati e Gesù sembra uscire dalla composizione per venirci incontro; nella veduta frontale dalla navata, si unisce al fonte battesimale in pietra, come fosse un tutt’uno con l’acqua, fonte della Nuova Vita.
Church of San Lorenzo Giustiniani, Venice
The Baptism of Jesus in marble, stone and Murano glass has a pyramidal composition, at the top there is the Holy Spirit in the shape of a dove, according to the words of the Gospel of Luke and Matthew. The golden light is the Holy Spirit coming down, with baptism and with the words of God.
From the Gospel according to Luke: « When all the people were baptized and while Jesus, having also received baptism, was praying, the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily appearance, like a dove, and there was a voice from heaven: « You are my beloved son, I am pleased with you ».
To the left of Jesus there are three angels who recall the SS. Trinity, one of whom is kneeling and holding the cloth in his hand, a symbol of purity, considered a white garment for Jesus, but also for the whole Church.
On the right we see Saint John the Baptist dressed in a camel’s hair habit; he holds a long stick surmounted by a small cross, the main attribute in the iconography of the Baptist, who announces the Lamb of God, reminding us of His destiny, pours the water to baptize Jesus who is at the center of the composition as the backbone of faith, immersed in the waters of the Jordan. The figure of Jesus merges in one part with water, the source of salvation, showing itself as the path of Truth. The palm on the right is a tree, a symbol of life, but also indicates the announcement of the destiny of Jesus, like Palm Sunday or Sunday of the Passion of the Lord; the three mountains on the right recall the S.S. Trinity and with the one on the left the four Evangelists of the sacred texts.
The curved wall of the baptistery welcomes the newly baptized and Jesus seems to emerge from the composition to meet us; in the frontal view from the nave, it joins the stone baptismal font, as if it were one with the water, the source of New Life.
From the Gospel according to Luke: « When all the people were baptized and while Jesus, having also received baptism, was praying, the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily appearance, like a dove, and there was a voice from heaven: « You are my beloved son, I am pleased with you ».
To the left of Jesus there are three angels who recall the SS. Trinity, one of whom is kneeling and holding the cloth in his hand, a symbol of purity, considered a white garment for Jesus, but also for the whole Church.
On the right we see Saint John the Baptist dressed in a camel’s hair habit; he holds a long stick surmounted by a small cross, the main attribute in the iconography of the Baptist, who announces the Lamb of God, reminding us of His destiny, pours the water to baptize Jesus who is at the center of the composition as the backbone of faith, immersed in the waters of the Jordan. The figure of Jesus merges in one part with water, the source of salvation, showing itself as the path of Truth. The palm on the right is a tree, a symbol of life, but also indicates the announcement of the destiny of Jesus, like Palm Sunday or Sunday of the Passion of the Lord; the three mountains on the right recall the S.S. Trinity and with the one on the left the four Evangelists of the sacred texts.
The curved wall of the baptistery welcomes the newly baptized and Jesus seems to emerge from the composition to meet us; in the frontal view from the nave, it joins the stone baptismal font, as if it were one with the water, the source of New Life.
Église de San Lorenzo Giustiniani, Venise
Le Baptême de Jésus en marbre, pierre et verre de Murano a une composition pyramidale, au sommet se trouve le Saint-Esprit en forme de colombe, selon les paroles de l’Évangile de Luc et Matthieu. La lumière dorée est le Saint-Esprit qui descend, avec le baptême et avec les paroles de Dieu.
Extrait de l’Évangile selon Luc : « Lorsque tout le peuple fut baptisé et que Jésus, ayant lui aussi reçu le baptême, priait, les cieux s’ouvrirent et le Saint-Esprit descendit sur lui sous forme corporelle, comme une colombe, et il y eut une voix venant de ciel : « Tu es mon fils bien-aimé, je suis content de toi ».
À gauche de Jésus se trouvent trois anges qui rappellent les SS. Trinité, dont l’un est agenouillé et tient à la main le tissu, symbole de pureté, considéré comme un vêtement blanc pour Jésus, mais aussi pour toute l’Église.
À droite, on voit saint Jean-Baptiste vêtu d’un habit en poil de chameau ; il tient un long bâton surmonté d’une petite croix, attribut principal de l’iconographie de Baptiste, qui annonce l’Agneau de Dieu, rappelant sa destinée, verse l’eau pour baptiser Jésus qui est au centre de la composition comme le colonne vertébrale de la foi, immergée dans les eaux du Jourdain. La figure de Jésus se confond d’une part avec l’eau, source du salut, se montrant comme le chemin de la Vérité.
La palme de droite est un arbre, symbole de vie, mais indique aussi l’annonce du destin de Jésus, comme le dimanche des Rameaux ou dimanche de la Passion du Seigneur ; les trois montagnes à droite rappellent les S.S. Trinité et avec celui de gauche les quatre évangélistes des textes sacrés.
Le mur incurvé du baptistère accueille les nouveaux baptisés et Jésus semble sortir de la composition pour nous rencontrer ; vu de face depuis la nef, il rejoint les fonts baptismaux en pierre, comme s’il ne faisait qu’un avec l’eau, source de Vie Nouvelle.
La tecnica è quella del mosaico ma vista in chiave nuova: marmi policromi e vetro di Murano, per testimoniare l’importanza della scena che si svolge oggi tra noi come 2.000 anni fa. La scelta dei materiali è frutto di un lungo lavoro per collezionare i giusti colori e misure di marmi come il verde serpentino, il travertino rosso, il rosso di Verona, il bianco di Carrara, il Biancone, il marmo nero e pietre semi preziose come il Quarzo, l’Onice e l’Alabastro. Il vetro invece è stato prodotto nelle fornaci di Murano come le piastre fatte a mano, le preziose Murrine, le canne policrome, l’Avventurina verde originale del 1.800, i sassi del fiume realizzati a mano in vetro policromo. Il vetro e la pietra sono stati lavorati con il cuneo e la mazzetta tradizionale sul tronco di pino del monastero delle clarisse.
Le parti compositive di diversa grandezza e profondità esprimono un incontro tra mosaico e scultura, le teste sono scolpite e incise a mano in pezzi unici, i volti sono illuminati con alcuni ossidi e si fondono con la luce e i colori della tradizione del vetro veneziano.
The technique is that of mosaic but seen in a new way: polychrome marble and Murano glass, to testify to the importance of the scene that takes place among us today as it did 2,000 years ago. The choice of materials is the result of a long work to collect the right colors and sizes of marbles such as serpentine green, red travertine, Verona red, Carrara white, Biancone, black marble and semi-precious stones such as Quartz, Onyx and Alabaster. The glass, however, was produced in the furnaces of Murano such as the handmade plates, the precious Murrine, the polychrome canes, the original green Aventurine from 1800, the river stones handmade in polychrome glass. The glass and stone were worked with the wedge and the traditional mallet on the pine trunk of the Poor Clares monastery.
The compositional parts of different sizes and depths express a meeting between mosaic and sculpture, the heads are sculpted and engraved by hand in unique pieces, the faces are illuminated with some oxides and blend with the light and colors of the Venetian glass tradition.
La technique est celle de la mosaïque mais vue d’une manière nouvelle : marbre polychrome et verre de Murano, pour témoigner de l’importance de la scène qui se déroule parmi nous aujourd’hui comme il y a 2 000 ans. Le choix des matériaux est le résultat d’un long travail pour collecter les bonnes couleurs et tailles de marbres comme le vert serpentine, le travertin rouge, le rouge de Vérone, le blanc de Carrare, le Biancone, le marbre noir et les pierres semi-précieuses comme le Quartz, l’Onyx et l’Albâtre. . Le verre, cependant, a été produit dans les fours de Murano comme les assiettes faites à la main, la précieuse Murrine, les cannes polychromes, l’Aventurine verte originale de 1800, les pierres de rivière faites à la main en verre polychrome. Le verre et la pierre ont été travaillés au coin et au maillet traditionnel sur le tronc de pin du monastère des Clarisses.
Les éléments de composition de différentes tailles et profondeurs expriment une rencontre entre mosaïque et sculpture, les têtes sont sculptées et gravées à la main en pièces uniques, les visages sont illuminés avec quelques oxydes et se fondent avec la lumière et les couleurs de la tradition verrière vénitienne.
