Sedan chair of Pope Leo XIII

Photogallery

Sedan chair of Pope Leo XIII
Sedan chair of Pope Leo XIII
Carriage Pavilion

Donated by the Archdiocese of Naples to Leo XIII for the fiftieth anniversary of his priestly ordination, this sedan chair in the form of a boat is an allegory for the Catholic Church, with the Supreme Pontiff at its helm.
The lower section alludes to this image; entirely carved in wood, and representing the stern of a boat, with a tiller, an anchor enmeshed in fishing nets, and two dolphins. Their meaning is referred to the supreme head of the Church who uses the net to catch fish (or rather, souls), in order to bring them to Christ, who is also Hope as represented by the anchor. The upper section is decorated with carnation branches in silver and coral in various shades, statuettes of the apostles carved in the round and a series of cameos with cherubs, alternated with floral intarsia.
The door is decorated with an image of St. Peter consecrating St. Aspren, first bishop of Naples, in the presence of St. Candida.