Dedicated to Saint Leonard, patron saint of prisoners, this portal was sculpted by Biduino in the second half of the 12th century and was the main entrance to the small church of San Leonardo al Frigido. The church is located outside the city, on the banks of the river Frigido, and was attached, in medieval times, to the Hierosolimitan hospital of San Leonardo. The portal was removed from its original position at the end of the 19th century and taken to France. Later it was transferred to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it can be admired in the section The Cloisers.
The relief, in white marble, depicts scenes of the Annunciation and the Visitation on the left side and the image of St. Leonard holding a prisoner in chains on the right, while the architrave shows the image of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem1.
Biduino was a sculptor and architect active in Lucca and Pisa in the last quarter of the 12th century. His activity is attested by a conspicuous number of signed and dated works and others that can still be identified on a stylistic basis, which document the high degree of self-awareness he achieved. Biduino’s language, based on the study of late imperial and early Christian sculpture, enjoyed considerable success until the early years of the 13th century, thanks also to the work of his collaborators and followers who spread his style throughout most of Tuscany.
