[SILVER] 19th century - Christ Painted on Porcelain in a Silver Setting, Religion, Christ, Devotional Items

The miniature was created using overglaze enamels on porcelain, with delicate glazes to model the face and rich colors for the robes. The frame was cast in sections and finished with chiseling. The style combines academic, soft modeling of the figures with the neo-Baroque opulence of the setting. The gold background lends the painting a timeless, sacred character.
Dimensions: 12 cm x 15.5 cm
The oval plaque depicts Christ from the waist up against a smooth, gold background. The figure has long chestnut-colored hair, a short beard, a red chiton, and a deep blue cloak. His right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing, while his left rests on his chest. The image is set within an elaborate, openwork frame composed of symmetrical volutes, acanthus leaves, shells, and rosettes. The frame ends with three flattened supports and features a twisted chain at the top for hanging. The reverse is covered by a green fabric held in place by metal tabs. The metal is heavily patinated, with scuffs on the raised areas; the surface of the miniature has fine scratches. The dimensions and signatures require verification.
The image of Christ giving a blessing derives from the Pantocrator type, though its 19th-century Western interpretation is more portrait-like and sentimental than the Byzantine one. The object was intended for private devotion, to be placed on a home altar or hung on the wall. It represents the interplay of iconographic tradition, porcelain painting, and luxury metalwork. Without the miniaturist’s signature, the authorship remains undetermined.