The Font of the Interdict: Reconsidering the Function of Ornament on the Baptismal Font of San Giovanni in Pisa

In 1246, a lavishly ornamented baptismal font was completed in Pisa, shortly after a papal interdict had been laid upon the city. What did it mean to the Pisans to erect such a grandiose religious monument precisely at this moment? And how is this reflected in the font’s decorative scheme? This article argues that not only the figurative elements in the font’s overall design, but most decidedly also its ornament, contribute to shaping a specific image of Pisan identity that closely responds to the political needs of the time.