Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 9.djvu/291

ON THE BRONZE DOORS OF THE CATHEDRAL OF GNESEN. 221 of time, tliej commence at the bottom of the left valve, and are continued upon it in ascending order; on the right valve they are arranged in descending order. The first panel is divided by circular arches into two compartments ; in the one is a woman sitting up in bed, an attendant approaches her carrying a cup ; the former has the head covered by a sort of hood tied under the chin and falling on the shoulders ; the latter, long hair uncovered. In the other division a naked child stands in a large chalice-shaped font ; on each side stands a figure, apparently of a woman, with one hand touching the child's arm, and with the other raised near its head. Here, no doubt, we have the birth and the baptism of the little Woyciech. In the second panel, on the right hand, is a building, before which is an altar, behind the altar a figure half seen with the right hand raised in the attitude of benediction ; before the altar stands a man dressed in a long gown and short cloak hanging from the shoulders, and holding over it a child in long clothes : behind him, are two women,, the first wears a hood and holds what look like two balls, ^ the second has the right hand raised, and long uncovered hair. This obviously represents the healing of the infant by his being placed upon the altar of the Virgin, the figures representing an attendant priest, the father, mother, and nurse. The third panel is divided by a shaft into two compart- ments under circular arches ; under the left one are a lady who has a long pendant from her headdress, and a man with uncovered head, and a short cloak hanging from the shoulder. These present a child to a man wearing a long robe open in front, who stands under the second arch. Behind him is a church, or some other building, by the side of which stands an attendant. This, no doubt, is the delivery of St. Adalbert by his parents to the care of Ottricus at Magdeburg. The fourth panel contains only the figure of an eccle- siastic, kneeling and bowing himself down as in prayer, before a shrine. This is probably intended to represent the devotion of himself to the service of God, which was produced in St. Adalbert by the death of the Bishop of Prague. The rest of the panel is occupied l^y a monstrous '^ A coninion eonvpiitional mannPi' of representing offerings. VOL. IX. U G