« Off for a weekend alone! | Main | Things that make me glad to be living far, far away from American media »

February 25, 2008

The world's ugliest pulpit?


The world's ugliest pulpit?
Originally uploaded by Michael Tinkler.
This pulpit at the front of the cathedral in Pisa may be the worst piece of 20th century religious art I've ever seen - and I've seen some doozies! Mind you, it's all marble. To make matters worse, it's within yards of one of the lovelier pulpits, by Giovanni Pisano from around 1300. I do not think this is a kneejerk medievalist reaction in favor of the Gothic (in fact, I don't much like late Gothic Italian sculpture), but look at those horrible shapes in the new pulpit! And the colors? What were they thinking? Oh, well - it looks like it will be easy to remove, someday.

One of the world's lovelier pulpits.
Originally uploaded by Michael Tinkler.


Posted by CrankyProfessor at February 25, 2008 4:18 PM