Giant Victorian Iron Key

Columnar in form with roundels to the knees, navel and chest, arms folded over the midriff, discoid face with flange nose; after the antique. 446 grams, 28 cm



Acquired on the UK art market. From the collection of G.M.R.H., London, UK. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Mary portrayed with sorrow expression, seated on a marble bench, cradling the body of Jesus on her lap; the maphorion of Mary rendered in red carmine with geometrically shaped folds, embellished with a golden hem, lined internally in grey; the neck and throat of Mary covered by a white fabric, according to the fashion of the time; the haloes decorated with elaborate floral patterns, against a brilliant gold background; on the bottom, hooked rope used for lowering the body from the cross. 2.6 kg, 53 x 45.5 cm with frame

Vertical crack restored, areas of retouching

Acquired on the European art market. Private collection, London, UK. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12792-240886. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The painting belongs to the 16th century Veneto-Cretan School. The Venetians, masters of Crete since the 13th century AD, encouraged their Greek subjects to keep and develop their Christian religious traditions while at the same time bringing them into contact with intellectual trends current in Western Europe. The new artistic currents and the great Byzantine tradition were transferred to the Island which was able to adopt that tradition and create a new one. The icon painters were organised into a guild - the Scuola di San Luca - which promoted a specific post-Byzantine style through a system of instruction and apprenticeship which lasted for more than two centuries.

With regularly placed dimples, horizontal banding, initials 'AT' at base. 5.63 grams, 24 mm



Acquired on the UK art market in the early 2000s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.