This is a wonderful Renaissance devotional pendant, dating to the 16th - 17th century. It depicts a radiant "Christ Treading On The Beasts", a subject found in Late Antique and Early Medieval art.
"The iconography derives from Biblical texts, in particular Psalm 91 (90):13: "super aspidem et basiliscum calcabis conculcabis leonem et draconem" in the Latin Vulgate, literally "The asp and the basilisk you will trample under foot/you will tread on the lion and the dragon", translated in the King James Version as: Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet". This was interpreted as a reference to Christ defeating and triumphing over Satan. Sometimes two beasts are shown, usually the lion and snake or dragon, and sometimes four, which are normally the lion, dragon, asp (snake) and basilisk (which was depicted with varying characteristics) of the Vulgate. All represented the devil, as explained by Cassiodorus and Bede in their commentaries on Psalm 91.
The earliest appearance of the subject in a major work is a 6th-century mosaic of Christ, dressed as a general or emperor in military uniform, clean-shaven and with a cross-halo, in the Archbishop's Chapel, Ravenna. A lion and snake are shown." - Wikipedia
This pendant was crafted in silver, with the image of Christ trampling a snake and lion held within a heart-shaped frame. It measures 27.2mm wide x 37.2mm tall (without the bail) and weighs 5g. I have added a silver jump ring for wearability. Formerly part of the Ex. G. Scholfield Collection in Bath, UK. You will receive the pictured pendant.
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