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Source Description
Lecterns of this type were used in Roman Catholic churches and monastery chapels to hold the Bible, from which a priest would read the lessons of scripture and at some points during the liturgy, guide the participants in prayer. The high degree of decoration was achieved by applying plaster gesso to the wooden base allowing for elaborate carving in the same way that a picture frame is worked. Sometimes lecterns bearing the arms of a pope or cardinal like this one were gifts to mark the visit or favor of that official.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
95027
label
Lectern
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
95027
contentType
object
title
Lectern
description
Lecterns of this type were used in Roman Catholic churches and monastery chapels to hold the Bible, from which a priest would read the lessons of scripture and at some points during the liturgy, guide the participants in prayer. The high degree of decoration was achieved by applying plaster gesso to the wooden base allowing for elaborate carving in the same way that a picture frame is worked. Sometimes lecterns bearing the arms of a pope or cardinal like this one were gifts to mark the visit or favor of that official.
date
1707
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79475982
genreSpecific
Furniture and woodwork
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 167.7 x 48.3 cm (66 x 19 in.)
cul
Italy
accession
1915.572
Source extras
tec
wood and gesso
tombstone
Lectern, 1707. Italy. Wood and gesso; overall: 167.7 x 48.3 cm (66 x 19 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust, 1915.572
collection
Furniture
formerAccessionNumbers
229.1915
didYouKnow
The carved coat of arms on the lectern desk are those of Pope Clement XI, who reigned from 1700 to 1721.
creditline
Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:04:31.108000
sourceId
95027
dept
Decorative Art and Design
coll
Furniture
med
wood and gesso
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
1fd2d54631c31819