Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 August 1876 — A Wonderful Piece of Wood-Carving Over 1,000 Years Old. [ARTICLE]

A Wonderful Piece of Wood-Carving Over 1,000 Years Old.

A representative of the Pre»s was yesterday permitted to examine one of the most wonderful works of antiquity ever brought to the notice of the present generation, belonging to Cesare Facchini, an Italian gentleman who recently arrived in this city from Rome. It is evidently a relic of religious art, and is said to be over 1,000 years old. The work is entirely of wood, cut from the groves of Lebanon, and is about four feet square and as many feet in height. It represents the early history of the world, from the time of creation up to the crucifixion of the Son of God, and is made up of figures and emblems, illustrating familiar biblical characters. First, immediately on the front of the work is a miniature representation of chaos, and above ft the Garden of Eden, containing a diversified landscape thronging with beasts, birds, reptiles and trees. The figures are all of carved wood. On the left-hand side is an image of Adam, and on the right one of Eve, who holds in her right hand the fatal apple. Near by, on an elevation, is a picture of a man between two wild beasts—an elephant and lion—typifying the two stages of civilization. Next in order comes a sacred figure of Joshua bestriding a charger. The warrior holds in one hand his sword' and in the other a shield, having on its front a representation of the sun. To the right of this striking figure may be seen a carving of Aaron, the High Priest, whose arms are outstretched. Near him is the golden calf and a band of soldiers, clad in full costume, and just above these, on what appears to be a mountain, the figure of Moses, the lawgiver, who has with him the tablet on which are inscribed the ten commandments. In his right hand the leader of the Israelites holds the rod with which he he smote the rock and caused water to flow forth. Above this is a representation of the Lord and the burning bush. Further oh toward the rear of the work is exhibited Noah engaged in building the ark, which is in the last stages of completion. The Patriarch is surrounded with his ship-carpentering tools." On the left side, in ■well defined and regular order, is seen the stable in which the Blessed Redeemer was born. The manager and animals, Joseph and Mary, the infant Jesus, are all of carved wood. Then is seen the wise men of the East following the Star of Bethlehem to the scene of the Nativity.

Next is a representation of St. Peter, fearing in his right Und the keys of heaven, while With tfre fwt he seems to be drag. ging a net well filled with fish. An allegorical picture of death contains aakeleton with scythe in hand, andabove this hovers the angels spoken of by John in the Apocalypse. The central portion of this Remarkable carving is,'perhaps, themost Worthy of note, because of the very many devicesand figures represented. Here are clustered a number of pillars, such as the Corinthian, lonic, Doric, etc. High up stands the mystic lamp of life on the Book of the Revelations, bedring seven distinct seals. Under |it stands the figure of the Ruler of the Universe, who holds in one hand a golden sceptre and balances a globe in the other. On either side of this are angels holding the evenly balanced scales of justice. On pedestals are angels holding cornucopias, and near by a miniature representation of the City of Jerusalem, surrounded by its high walls, and on a tablet on the walls are Hebrew characters, which, when translated, read, “Lord, Lord, why hast Thou forsaken me!” The very central object is a representation of the Crucifixion of. the Son of God, and under it is an allegorical picture of the triumph over death, apd beneath this a representation of hell. It must be remembered that most of these figures are distinct and separate from tlie general woodwork. Taken as a whole, it is certainly one of the most ingenious, instructive and marvelous pieces of carving that has ever been seen in this or any other city. An interesting history is connected with it, and is saia to be a sacred reliquia of the ancient order of Templars. It has been preserved with the greatest care and veneration as an heirloom by the old and illustrious family of the Casanovas of Bologna, in Italy, and of which the present owner of this relic is the direct representative. Its first possession is traced back to I’oalo Casanova, a celebrated jurist, canon of the Metropolitan Church, prothonotary and historian, after the tyrannical suppression of the Knights Companion of the Order of Guadente, successors to the Knights Templar. Sometime ago it was decided to have the monument examined in detail by some of the most competent savgns of the day, so as to ascertain as far as possible with such work its approximate value in a religious and historical point of view. The attention of several connoisseurs, professors of antique lore and others was called to it, and they unanimously pronounced it to be a work of the greatest interest, and one which should be interpreted and described by a fully competent person. The choice fell on Signor Carlo Pancaldi, the celebrated archaeologist and historian, of Bologna. But, curiously enough, the great authority, like other professors in similar cases, at first attached no importance to the monument. On re-examining it, however, he found the object exceedingly interesting, and finally he came to the conclusion that the monument revealed, in a figurative or semi-hidden manner, the primitive historic secrets of the Order of Guadente, a secret so zealously kept by that ancient priesthood that they caused the death of Prometheus and Savonarola, and cruelly persecuted Galileo and others’, who, being initiated into the secret, had dared to divulge it.— Philadelphia Press.