IHS plaque with lions

Description

A relief plaque above the entrance of the house of Antonio Zanotto in the Old Town. In the centre is the IHS christogram in an inscribed ring, flanked by two rampant lions in foliage. The lions are linked to the father, the Venetian soldier Andrea Zanotto, whose motto was “Semper Leo”.

The ring inscription was read from photographs after perspective correction and unwrapping of the ring: NEMO PROPHETA ACCEPTVS EST IN PATRIA SVA — “No prophet is accepted in his own country” (Luke 4:24). The certain parts are NEMO, PRO…, …EPTVS, EST and …TRIA; the reading should be checked on site.

The 3D model was made from photographs and fitted to what can be measured on them: the width-to-height ratio is 1.956 (three independent measurements, ±4.3%), the ring is a true circle and the medallion diameter is 0.97 of the plaque height. The relief depth and the letters in the ring are a reconstruction, not a copy of the original. A series of 12 plaques (110–600 mm) and 9 stands was prepared from the model for 3D printing.