Description

The pendant from the early 17^th century is characterized by an 18-carat yellow gold setting and a triple chain that supports the medallion, made of carved rock crystal and embellished with three applications in gold and enamels in polychrome alveoli. At the centre of the rock crystal, rich in symbolic meanings related to purity, is depicted the profile of Christ in enamel and accompanied by the inscription "Salvator Mundi", literally Christ Savior of the World; the preciousness of this pendant, however, is also given by the decoration of the verse with an image of the Agnus Dei, the Lamb of God which is in this case accompanied by the biblical verse Jn 1:29 in which it is recited "Ecce Agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccata mundi beati" ("Behold the Lamb of God, behold he who takes away the sins of the world"). Both representations, mirrored, are enclosed within a first circle in blue enamel and a second circle in verre eglomisé. Probably the pendant was made in Lombardy, one of the main centres of production of double-sided devotional pendants from the 16^th century which differs from the artifacts of Nuremberg in that these appear more graphic and employ a greater use of gold leaf, although their production is also found in Spain and Sicily, an example of which is the pendant published in the catalogue “L’età dell’oro. Il gioiello siciliano tra XVII e XIX secolo” edited by S. Intorre and R. Cruciata (pp. 18, 79); other examples of devotional pendants in rock crystal and enamels are preserved at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (inv. 1975.1.1519) or at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (inv. M.993-1910; M.991-1910).

Period: early 17th century

Provenance: Italy

Lenght: 6,5 cm

Weight: 9,5 gr