Portal in the Cloisters, Sept. 2007

Portal from the Church of San Leonardo al Frigido, ca. 1170–1180
Italian; Made in Tuscany
White Carrara marble, grayish marble; 13 ft. 2 in. x 76 in. (401.3 x 193 cm)
The Cloisters Collection, 1962 (62.189)

Dedicated to Saint Leonard, the patron saint of prisoners, this portal served as the main entrance of the small Church of San Leonardo al Frigido. An antique sarcophagus was reused for the supporting jambs on the sides of the door; it was carved to show scenes of the Annunciation and the Visitation on the left and an image of Saint Leonard holding an emblematic prisoner on the right. The Entry into Jerusalem on the lintel is modeled after an Early Christian tomb relief. The doorway is a product of the workshop of Master Biduino, who worked in the Pisa-Lucca area.

Text from: www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/the_cl...