A pilgrimage medal steeped in history and spirituality. This 19th-century gilt bronze piece depicts Saint Mary Magdalene kneeling in prayer at the Sainte-Baume on the obverse, and her Elevation by four angels at the Saint-Pilon on the reverse. A dense piece with deep relief and warm patina, typical of the medals sold to pilgrims at the Provençal sanctuary following the revival of the pilgrimage in the late 19th century.
Type: Antique religious medal
Period: Late 19th century
Material: Gilt bronze
Dimensions: 32 mm / 3.2 cm (approximately 1.26 inches)
Origin: France, Sainte-Baume sanctuary, Provence
Condition: Warm period gilt patina, well-preserved and legible relief on both sides, light wear consistent with age, original bail intact
The relief is crisp and finely detailed: on the obverse, Mary Magdalene kneeling before a flowering cross, a skull at her feet and mountains in the background, all framed within a cross-shaped cutout cartouche. The reverse shows her Elevation, carried by four angels with widely spread wings, engraved with equal care. This type of pilgrim medal, with its kneeling obverse and angelic reverse, corresponds to the typical output of French religious medal workshops between 1870 and 1900, a period of strong revival for the Sainte-Baume pilgrimage.
Wear it as a pendant on a chain, add it to a collection of antique religious medals, or gift it as a devotional piece rich with history.
This medal will appeal to collectors of antique religious medals, lovers of sacred art and 19th-century jewelry, and anyone seeking a devotional piece to give or pass down.
An authentic piece, carefully detailed and bearing its period patina, that has crossed the decades with its charm intact — rare to find in this state of preservation.
This antique medal of Saint Mary Magdalene at the Sainte-Baume, in 19th-century gilt bronze, embodies both the history of the Provençal pilgrimage and the craftsmanship of the era's religious engravers — a piece of character for collectors and antique jewelry lovers alike.
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