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Byzantine Art :
Byzantine Metalwork : Byzantine Bronze Plaque Depicting a Saint
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Byzantine Bronze Plaque Depicting a Saint - X.0155
Origin: Eastern Mediterranean
Circa: 6
th
Century AD
to 7
th
Century AD
Dimensions:
2" (5.1cm) high
x 1.5" (3.8cm) wide
Collection: Byzantine
Medium: Bronze
Additional Information: HK
£6,500.00
Location: Great Britain
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| Description |
The shape and size of this bronze plaque, as well as
the presence of nail holes in the corners, suggest
that it would have once adorned the side of a
reliquary box or the front cover of a book. The image
of a saint crowned with a nimbus halo and holding a
cross in his right hand has been gently hammered
onto the surface of the plaque in a technique known
as repoussé. The Greek letters, “H” and “AK” have
been inscribed on either side of his head. Other
similar plaques inscribed with prayers were thought
to have been votive offerings that were nailed onto
columns or inside niches of chapels. There, they
would continue to symbolize the physical
manifestation of the prayer. However, considering
the diminutive size of this plaque, it is far more likely
that it would have once decorated a book or box.
This bronze plaque depicting a saint is a remnant
from the Byzantine era, when Christianity fully
blossomed in Europe. Here, ancient techniques of
metalworking are combined with Christian
iconography, producing a work that is both
decorative and spiritual.
- (X.0155)
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