28 November 2011

Reliquary pendant with St. George

It has been few months already I am in to finding a making medieval wearable jewellery reliquaries.
This one with a Saint George killing the dragon was made for a commission order. 

It is a tiny piece made in gold plated silver with a rock crystal window - so the stored a precious item always would be visible.
Copy of the 15th cent pendant
Material: 925 Silver (gold plated), rock crystal
Dimensions: 16mm x 14mm x 5mm

The original piece is from the British Museum and the catalouge description says: "Gold reliquary pendant of rectangular shape, engraved with a standing figure of St. George killing the dragon within an arch on one side; on the other is a piece of crystal behind which it is likely that a piece of textile was shown."

The original pendant from British Museum
Material: gold, rock crystal
Dimensions: 16mm x 14mm
You can wear in on a chain, but there is also one nice example from 15th century of a very similar looking item on a black bead ( jet beads?) necklace.
Detail from “Salmon Is questioned by the King”. Pierre Salmon, Dialoges;
Geneva, BGE, MS fr.165, fol.7; Paris, ca.1414.
After van Buren 2011, p. 131, F82.

And some more pictures:

  

   


Bibliography
van Buren, Anna H.: Illuminating fashion. Dress in Art of Medieval France and the Netherlands, 1325-1515. New York & London 2011, p. 131, F82.



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