Liturgical furniture in the Basilica of San Marco : the ciboria in the main chapel and in the chapels of the Nicopeia and Sacramento

Three pieces of liturgical furniture in the eastern part of the Basilica of San Marco – the three ciboria in the chapel of the Nicopeia, in the main chapel, and in the chapel of the Sacramento – lead to the hypothesis that the three canopies were conceived and assembled simultaneously. All three items can be dated to the mid-thirteenth century, perhaps during the rule of Doge Ranieri Zen (1253–1268). The strong resemblance of these structures to each other suggests a global approach corroborated by analysis of the component elements, namely the capitals, the archivolts, the coating, the basis, and the frames. The data gathered suggest a common chronology and a common patron, although the identification with Ranieri Zen remains plausible but uncertain.