Aquamanile

As a jug for the washing of hands during the liturgy, the so-called aquamanile was a fixed part of the church’s equipment. That said, it was also used outside the Church, for washing before meals, for instance. Objects of this kind originated in the Orient. It was via the Byzantine culture, which played a mediatory role, that aquamaniles reached the Holy Roman Empire, where they quickly became part of the fixed repertoire of cast bronze, a popular material in Roman sculpture. Many of these aquamaniles are shaped like animals, until the mid-15th century especially lions. This was also due to the apotropaic significance of these animals, i.e., their ability to ward off evil. The lion-like character of the Düsseldorf aquamanile is striking, even if it is slimmer and more delicate. It comes from the church of St. Maria Magdalena in Effeln in Westphalia and it is highly likely that it was also cast in this region. (Arne Leopold)