View of the Baptistery

Andrea Dandolo (doge 1343-1354) selected St. Mark's Baptistery as his burial site and replaced earlier fresco decorations with mosaics inspired by Byzantine models. Seated evangelists occupy the entrance arch, while the central cupola bears an image of Christ in Glory surrounded by a ring of standing apostles. Smaller figures next to each apostle graphically illustrate Christ command to the apostles that they preach and baptize. Scenes narrating episodes from the life of St John the Baptist on the side walls share the same gold backgrounds and miniaturized settings as the cupola mosaics and the Crucifixion on the end wall. Dandolo's contribution to the Baptistery were completed by his funerary monument on the right side wall.

The bronze baptismal font is a later addition, commissioned from Jacopo Sansovino c. 1545.