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| View Original: | Byzantine_-_Cameo_of_the_Virgin_-_Walters_425_-_Reverse.jpg (1406x1800) | |||
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| Keywords: Byzantine - Cameo of the Virgin - Walters 425 - Reverse.jpg This small and delicately carved bloodstone cameo shows the Virgin standing and turning to her left her arms raised in a gesture of prayer or supplication An abbreviated inscription on either side identifies her as the Mother of God She is perhaps imploring her son to forgive the sins of humanity and the original owner of this work no doubt hoped that she was interceding specifically on his or her behalf The gold frame around the piece is modern and it is unclear whether this small work was originally meant to be worn around the neck like many other carved Byzantine gems or whether it was part of a small devotional diptych or triptych arranged so that this panel was next to one depicting Christ with the Virgin therefore directly gesturing toward her son The image is carved on a bloodstone The red streaks in this stone would have reminded pious viewers of the blood shed by Christ at the Crucifixion perhaps focusing their thoughts on Mary's role at that event ca 900 Medieval bloodstone chalchedony gold cm 5 7 3 0 6 accession number 42 5 33762 Leon Gruel Paris by purchase Henry Walters city Baltimore Walters Art Museum Henry Walters Acquired by Henry Walters 1928 Early Christian and Byzantine Art Baltimore Museum of Art Baltimore 1947 The Glory of Byzantium The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York 1997 Realms of Faith Medieval and Byzantine Art from the Walters Art Museum Frist Center for the Visual Arts Nashville 2001-2002 Realms of Faith Medieval and Byzantine Art from the Walters Art Museum Frist Center for the Visual Arts Nashville 2002-2005 Realms of Faith Medieval and Byzantine Art from the Walters Art Museum Museum of Biblical Art New York; Colby College Museum of Art Waterville; Joslyn Art Museum Omaha 2008-2009 place of origin Constantinople present-day Istanbul Turkey left thumb Obverse Walters Art Museum license Byzantine and Early Russian art in the Walters Art Museum Byzantine cameos Heliotrop Christian crosses in the United States Cameos | ||||
