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A Byzantine bronze cross image 1
A Byzantine bronze cross image 2
Various Properties
Lot 92

A Byzantine bronze cross

1 December 2020, 11:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £10,200 inc. premium

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A Byzantine bronze cross
Circa 12th-14th Century A.D.
Cast in relief with Christ flanked in the terminals of the horizontal arm by the Virgin and Saint John, the reverse with the central figure of a warrior Saint, surrounded by busts of Saints within roundels on each arm, including Saints George, Demetrios and Theodoros, with the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, 17cm high

Footnotes

Provenance:
Private collection, the Netherlands, acquired in 1975.

Exhibited:
'Ikonen in relief', De Wijenburgh Castle, Echteld, Gelderland, 19 March - 17 June 1978.

Saints George, Demetrios and Theodorus belong to a group of saints known as warrior-saints. Their cult became popular after the First Crusade, as before this individual saints were venerated depending on geographical location (J. MacGregor, "Negotiating Knightly Piety: The Cult of the Warrior-Saints in the West, ca. 1070-ca. 1200", Church History, vol. 73, no. 2, June 2004, p. 320). The Saints were invoked as protectors of knights and armies on campaign and also regarded as role models for Christian warriors.

Additional information

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