[0.875 SILVER] Tsarist Russia - Silver Gloria with a Scene of Christ's Resurrection - Yakov Prokhorov, Moscow 1869

Tsarist Russia – Silver Gloria with a Scene of Christ’s Resurrection – Yakov Prokhorov
Yakov Prokhorov, Moscow, 1869
84-zolotnik silver (875/1000), repoussé, chasing, engraving, cutting, soldering
Height: 16 cm
Width: 12.7 cm
Weight: 67 g
An original Russian devotional plaque in the form of a radiant halo, made in Moscow in 1869 by goldsmith Yakov Prokhorov.
The central part of the composition is an oval medallion with a relief depiction of the Resurrection of Christ. Christ is depicted hovering above an open tomb, with his robes billowing and surrounded by rays of light. On the right is a seated, winged angel pointing to the miracle of the Resurrection. The background of the scene consists of engraved lines radiating outward from the figure of Christ.
The medallion is surrounded by an elaborate halo formed of alternating bundles of longer and shorter rays. The individual elements are elongated and taper to pointed, separated tips. The openwork design and the rhythmic variation in the lengths of the rays lend the whole piece a dynamic and stately character.
The object was most likely intended to be hung or mounted as a decorative appliqué on a larger sacred object—an icon, a feretron, or an element of altar furnishings. Fastening elements have been preserved on the reverse.
Russian hallmarks are stamped on one of the lower rays:
the signature mark of goldsmith Yakov Prokhorov, the mark of the Moscow Assay Office with the date “1869,” and the fineness mark “84” with the coat of arms of Moscow. A fineness of 84 zolotniks corresponds to a silver content of 875 parts per 1,000.
An interesting example of Moscow’s sacred goldsmithing from the period of the Russian Empire, combining traditional Orthodox iconography with a striking, radiant form.