In-depth chemical analysis of three key 12th century medieval bronze doors by Barisanus of Trani uncovers which is the oldest and reveals how they were made; the doors are from Trani, Ravello, Monreale
From the paper’s Abstract:
The bronze and brass doors of the 11th and 12th centuries represent the largest group of medieval monumental bronzes still preserved today in Europe. Of the less than 30 doors that have survived, three, the doors of Trani, Ravello and Monreale, were made by Barisanus of Trani.
In the paper, chemical analyses of the metal parts of all the doors and an in-depth study of their production are presented for the first time, showing how a detailed observation of the casting characteristics provides information on the chronological order of the doors studied.
The paper contributes to the ongoing discussion in art history regarding the chronological order of the construction of the doors. Moreover, it demonstrates the potential of scaled orthometric images as a basis for art historical and production-related questions.
© 2025 Mödlinger et al., CC-BY 4.0
Bibliographic information:
Mödlinger M, Asmus B, Fera M, Utz J, Ghiara G (2025), The 12th century bronze doors of Barisanus of Trani in Trani, Ravello and Monreale, PLoS ONE 20(3): e0319697, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0319697
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