St. Anne's pendant/enkolpion.

2007 marks the 100th Anniversary of the construction of St. Anne's Anglican Church,
Toronto. Built in the Byzantine Greek-cross plan, after Hagia Sophia in Istanbul (formerly
Constantinople), and now a Canadian National Historic Site, it contains the only religious
paintings by members of the Group of Seven.

In the upper south side of the Church can be found an emblem of St. Anne and her
daughter Mary. Often Anne is represented with a book, her symbol.

In this painting by Thorough MacDonald, son of J.E.H. MacDonald, references to Hagia
Sophia seem to appear. In one of the few mosaics still relatively intact, the Theotokos
(Mary, mother of God) is seen seated in an abstract throne, while the emperors Justinian
and Constantine present to her and the Child, models of the great church and the city of
Constantinople, for their blessing.

In Thorough's painting, there is a striking similarity to the Hagia Sophia composition, with
representations of St. Anne's Church and the Parish Hall on either side of Anne and Mary.

The St. Anne's pendant has been decorated with a black oxydizing patina, evoking the
niello technique used by Byzantine artists, a sulphide compound which was often added
to enkolpion and other metal work to emphasize engraved details.

Included in the Architecture as Ornament exhibition, June 2007.

Sterling silver, patina.