Post Medieval Bronze Cross Pendant Group

Painted on a wooden board with mounting slots and panels to the reverse, gessoed surface with painting of the Virgin of Kazan, head of Mary with gilded nimbus and russet-coloured veil, standing infant Jesus similarly nimbate with right hand raised in the pax gesture; gilt monograms to the upper corners and title to the lower left corner. 968 grams, 31 cm high

Fine condition.

Ex property of a London lady, part of her family's collection.

The original icon, also known as the Theotokos of Kazan, is thought to have originated in Constantinople in the 13th century before it was taken to Russia. When the Turks took over Kazan in 1438, the icon was most probably hidden to keep it safe. Ivan the Terrible liberated Kazan in 1552, and the town was destroyed by fire in 1579, after which the icon was found and brought to the Church of Saint Nicholas. It was subsequently stolen in 1904 and never found again, though there are many copies in existence.

Comprising D-section hoop with mane-in-fede motif to underside, incised segments and cross to each shoulder, rectangular bezel with incised apotropaic palindrome 'SATOR / AREPO / TENET / OPERA / ROTAS', the text admits four symmetries and may be read: top to bottom, bottom to top, left to right, right to left, and can be rotated 180 degrees and still be read the same way. 13.40 grams, 27.84 mm overall, 18.72 mm internal diameter (approximate size British Q, USA 8, Europe 17.49, Japan 16)



Private collection, Arundel, West Sussex, UK, 1975-late 1990s. Accompanied by a previous original handwritten collector's cataloguing page.

Mixed group comprising: various emperors, issues and reverse types. 274 grams total, 20-36 mm.

Very fine-extremely fine.

From an old UK collection. From the collection of an London antiquarian.