Árbók Hins íslenzka fornleifafélags - 01.01.1976, Qupperneq 161

MINNISGREINAR ÁRNA MAGNÚSSONAR
163
the apostles St. Peter and St. Paul on the inside of the two wings, and St. Kathe-
rine of Alexandria and St. Olav, the patron saint of Vatnsfjörður church, on the
outside. Very likely a North-German work from the 15th century.
3. An altarpiece (triptych) from Ögur church, still existing and now in the
possession of the National Museum of Iceland, one of its finest treasures (No.
3435). A magnificently carved and painted work of the Flemish school, probably
from about 1500.
4. A statue of St. Olav from Ögur church; now lost. The accompanying draw-
ing (p. 146) seems to suggest that this was a German work, perhaps from a
Lubeck workshop, from about 1400.
5. A brass dish with ornaments and Low German inscriptions, still ex-
isting in Ögur church. Such dishes were very common in Icelandic churches and
used for baptizing ceremonies.
6. An altarpiece (triptych) from Eyri church in Seyðisfjörður; now lost. On
the central panel the Last Supper, on the outside of the wings an unidentified
holy bishop and St. Olav, shown on the accompanying drawing, reproduced on
p. 150. Most likely a German work from the first half of the 16th century.
7—8. Two reliquaries, one from Þykkvabæjarklaustur and one from Kálfa-
fell churches; both lost. These were house-shaped wooden shrines, very similar,
although of a slightly different size, covered with beaten and stamped gilt
bronze plaques, with figures and ornaments. Most likely they were from the
13th century and might very well have been made in Iceland, although this of
course must remain on unsettled question.
9. This note deals with three aquamaniles, acquired by Árni Magnússon in
the south of Iceland, unknown from which churches. All three were of cast
bronze, two in the shape of a lion, one in that of a horse. Certainly continental
work (Germany or the Netherlands), probably from the 12th or the 13th cent-
ury. All three are lost now; quite possibly they were destroyed in the disastrous
conflagration of Copenhagen in 1728.
10. An aquamanile, seen by Árni Magnússon in Kirkjubæjarklaustur church;
now lost. The piece was in the shape of a harpy (as Árni puts it) ; otherwise
it was made in the same way as the above-mentioned ones.-----Of the numerous
aquamaniles in Icelandic churches in the Middle Ages only two have survived,
both lion-shaped. Árni Magnússon’s information in these notes is a welcome
addition to our knowledge in this field.