Romanesque

Baptism of Christ

Baptismal font from Notre Dame-des-Fonts 

Rainer Huy 

1118 

The sculptor, Rainer of Huy was a bronze worker from Meuse River Valley in Belgium and was renowned for his metalwork.  

The bronze basin rests on the foreparts of a dozen oxen. Where this stemmed from was King Solomon's Temple that is referred to in 1 Kings 7:23-25 "molten sea... on twelve oxen". It is interesting because the medieval scholars equated the oxen with the 12 apostles. From revelation given in these latter days the 12 oxen actually represent all the 12 tribes of Israel (joining of people as God's offspring). 

The Old Testament story of King Solomon's Temple prefigured Christ's baptism which is the central scene on the Romanesque font. This work revived the classical style along with the classical spirit. The figures are softly rounded, with idealized bodies and faces and heavy clinging drapery. 

I like how this particular romanesque piece has Christ seated in majesty in the center, with his apostles round about him. He sends them forth on their missions to convert the heath and lost, heal the sick, and cast out the devils from bodily possession. The divinity of Christ in this baptismal scene shows him, the son of God, cleansing himself with the emersion of water though he be sinless to set the way for all mortal human beings on earth to receive exaltation.