A Crucifix-reliquary - Chest Pendant Namban Art gilt and silver plated copper alloy Decoration en relief with black lacquered background: on one side "Crucified Christ surmounted by a cartouche with INRI inscription and at His feet a skull and two crossbones"; on the other side "Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception surmounted by the dove of the Holy Spirit, flanked by flying angels and at Her feet a branch of chrysanthemums"; on the flanks "Symbols of the Passion of Christ". Momoyama period (1573-1615) wear to the gilt, missing of the "lever" inside the lid, hinge slightly fixed Dimensões (altura x comprimento x largura) - 14,5 cm Notes: Six years after the arrival of the Portuguese to the far island of Tanegashima,  King  D. João III of Portugal sent  1549  the first group of Jesuits to Japan, of which Francis Xavier was part (1506-1552).   The Company of Jesus was well received and was able to adopt the proper strategies for the thousands of conversions achieved: first the conversion of the  daimyos —the land Lords or provincial rulers - who subsequently converted the subjects and do actively took part in the trade by using that intermediary role as an instruments of propaganting Christianity. The Portuguese presence in the Orient left significant marks in several domains, military, scientific or gastronomy as well as in art. The Company of Jesus being the religious Order with greater number of instituitions created in Asia, reinforced and influenced the Japanese art production for on behalf of spreading the teachings of Ignacio de Loyola, used much the art as means of catechization. Namban Art - or Namban-bijutsu - is the result of this thematic and stylistic influence caused by the Portuguese presence inthe Nippon archipelago and derives from the expression Namban-jin ("Barbarians of the South") used by the Japanese to designate this exotic people who came to their land. It was essentially produced during the "Christian Century" of Japan, which historically limited itself between the arrival of the Portuguese (1543) and the year in which a law - Sakoku - was introduced, restricting entry and exit of the country (1639) after the edit prohibiting Christianity (1614) and the Shimabara Massacre (1637-38) which forced Christian secrecy.
This Crucifix is one of the rare examples of metal Namban Art dating from the late 16th or early 17th century. The used metal alloy is a mixture of mostly copper and gold, known  by the term Sawasa (derivative of Suaka - red). It could also presenta black patina known as Shakudo (literally, red copper) as in this case. The faces are decorated with a detailed chiseling  and punching technique called nanako. On the small ones, the instruments of the Passion of Christ are presented , while on the larger ones, en relief, the figures of the Crucified Christ and Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception appear, whose gilding has contaminated the background, originating a sort of golden shadow, as was customary with this decorative technique. The interior is chambered for the safeguarding of relics, highly valued at the time.
This piece, probably commissioned in Nagasaky, makes us believe that it belong to an important figure - whether a Portuguese Jesuit or a Japanese convert - given the richness of its materials and decorative detail and reliquary purpose.