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LOT 0365
Medieval Gilt Bronze Plaque of the True Face of Christ
ITALY, CIRCA 1500 A.D.
4 x 2 5/8 in. (216 grams, 10.1 x 6.6 cm).
With raised rim, nimbate bust of Christ in profile with long beard and shoulder-length hair, folded collar to the mantle; dove above with wings spread between sun and moon, each with a facing mask; inscription I.N.R.I. visible on either side of the portrait; mounted on a velvet-covered stand. [No Reserve]
Provenancewith Pierre-Richard Royer, 2010.
Ex central London gallery.
Cf. Strong, R., 600 Years of British Painting: the Berger Collection an the Denver Art Museum, Exhibition catalogue, Denver, 1999, for history of the artefact; for a similar icon see a plaque in the Walters Art Museum, accession no.54.68.
FootnotesThe icon represents the profile bust of Christ found on a Byzantine emerald, whence it is known as an 'Emerald Icon'. The emerald was one of the several holy objects sent to Pope Innocent VIII in the 1490's by the Turkish Sultan Bajazet II. The icon was considered one of the Christianity's most precious relics. The letters "I N R I" stand for 'Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum,' i.e.' Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews' This is the inscription that, according to the Evangelist John, Pilate had written on the plaque above Christ's head on the cross. The sun and moon allude to the cosmic significance of his sacrifice.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0365
Medieval Gilt Bronze Plaque of the True Face of Christ
Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,820
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Medieval 'Thames' Bronze Gaming Dice Pair
12th-16th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £91
Each cuboid with marks disposed 1:6, 4:3, 2:5.; 1:2, 3:4, 5:6. 10.5 grams total, 8-9 mm
Found on the Thames foreshore, UK. From the important private collection of dice and gaming pieces of Colin Narbeth, London, UK, collection no.155. -
Medieval Knight's Bronze Heraldic Horse Harness Pendant and Stud Group
14th-15th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £26
Including heater-shaped, cross moline and other types. 25.1 grams total, 15-36 mm
Found Suffolk, UK. -
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Medieval Lead Weight Collection
Circa 14th-16th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
Primarily discoid and shield-shaped in plan, displaying floral, cruciform and enigmatic designs in relief. 664 grams total, 35-63 mm
Ex Simmons Gallery, London E11, UK, in the 1990s. From a North London collection.
Shield-shaped weights are common detector finds. They are widespread across England and most common in the north of the country. Lead discs are very common as well, with both often engraved with the badge of the trader.
