Pendant, silver, silver gilt, enamel, depicting the Annunciation and the Death of the Virgin. Northern French or Southern Netherlands, ca. 1350-1375.

Pendant, double sided, of rectangular form, within a moulded double frame of silver decorated with quatrefoils. The frame made in four sections, and pierced at the top with a suspension hole, a similar hole at the bottom filled with a copper plug.
Each plaque of silver gilt, enamelled in blue, green, dull crimson, and yellow translucent enamels, and in opaque red. On the obverse is a depiction of the Annunciation. Beneath a triple canopy, the angel, his wings coloured in bands of green and dull crimson, salutes the Virgin with his right hand and with his left holds a scroll engraved in Gothic lettering with the inscription 'AVE MARIA' (Hail Mary). The Virgin, dressed in olive-green and a green-lined crimson cloak, holds a book. Faces and book are reserved in the metal. In the foreground is a yellow pot with a lily.
On the reverse is the Death of the Virgin again under a triple canopy. The Virgin, in a blue cloak lined with green, reclines on a bed mounted in dull crimson. In the foreground are two crouching figures of Apostles. Behind, Jesus, in olive-green robe and crimson cloak, receives the soul of the Virgin, figured as a babe, with a hand raised in blessing; nine other figures of Apostles crowd around the bed. Again the heads are reserved in metal. The ground of both scenes above the canopies is green; below it is blue over a pattern of foliated stems.

Possibly made in Northern France, or Flemish.

From the later 13th century devotion to the Virgin Mary became widespread, especially among women. This plaque, showing the Death of the Virigin on one side and the Annunciation on the other, was made for private prayer and meditation. It would probably have been protected in a leather case worn suspended from the belt.

The front and back surfaces of the plaque are decorated with basse taille enamel. This technique, in which translucent enamel is fired onto an engraved metal surface, was probably invented in Italy around 1280 and was quickly adopted elsewhere.

216-1874