Silvered Bronze Crucifix With Micromosaics – Rome, Late 19th Century

A superb silvered bronze crucifix, entirely decorated with remarkably fine micromosaics, made in Rome at the end of the 19th century. Dimensions: 29 × 18.5 cm. The cross, chamfered all around and finished with elaborately shaped ends (elongated hexagon, arcs, brackets, and discs), displays exceptionally rich decoration. The micromosaic work is of great virtuosity. The tesserae, extremely small and meticulously joined, compose a complete iconographic ensemble: In the center: St. Peter's Basilica and Bernini's colonnade. On the horizontal arms: two early Christian basilicas. In the upper section: the Pantheon. In the lower section: the Colosseum. The intermediate areas are adorned with the instruments of the Passion (ladder, hammer, pincers, flail, crossed swords), and the hexagonal panels are embellished with remarkably delicate polychrome floral bouquets, crafted from tiny, rounded tesserae. The bronze Christ with a golden-brown patina (7 cm high) is finely sculpted and perfectly proportioned. A very rare feature: the back of the statuette, almost invisible once in place, is also decorated with floral motifs executed with extreme care—a detail found only on pieces of the highest quality. The entire piece is in absolutely perfect condition: no restoration, no losses, intact mosaics, and a very clean surface. Such complete preservation is extremely rare for a work of this complexity. A collector's item. Due to its quality of execution, the variety of its decoration, and the finesse of its mosaics, this crucifix ranks among the finest Roman creations of the late 19th century. A rare collector's item on the market.