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St
Peter Gold, silver, and enamel worked in cloisonné, from an icon frame, 8.3 cm dia., c. 1100 The Metropolitan Museum, New York |
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Made in Constantinople,
this medallion is one of nine surviving from a now-lost set of
twelve. Depicting St Peter, it was originally part of a
decorative frame that once encircled an image of the Archangel
Gabriel. The set was probably created as a diplomatic gift from
the Byzantine court to Christian Georgia. The upper section
depicts a Deesis, with Christ placed between the Virgin
Mary and John the Baptist. Below, the figures are organised
according to their ecclesiastical roles: apostles Peter and
Paul, evangelists Matthew and Luke, and the theologian John. At
the bottom, Saint George stands as the representative of the
military saints. |
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