This was a labor of love. I volunteered to design and create from (almost) scratch a real crown to be used in my church's Passion play 2015. This was for the finale scene when Jesus is coronated king in Heaven. I am not sure anyone else has tried to create a crown for the same purpose and I found it most difficult to find reference material. So I combined a few design elements from royal crowns across several people groups over the last few hundred years and also incorporated six etched panels with symbolism of Jesus' character, directly from scripture.
This was the beginning stages of the engineering - planning the layout of elements to be attached to a base. As you can see, the final design is changed. I ran into engineering and asthetic obstacles which were sorted out with much planning and time.
Here you can see the stages of the spires - blank, then newly etched design using ferric chloride, and far right with set 17mm cubic zirconia stone and patina'd relief.
Left piece recently came out of the acid bath and awaits a good sanding with steel wool. Right piece the thick acrylic paint is drying, which will resist the acid. It is the negative of the finished piece (the positive).
All 6 etched and patina'd with cz stones set. Its getting there!
All of these are original designs drawn/painted on by me with a small acrylic marker, then acid etched for about 1 hour. This was inspired by Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
I left a blank space to prong-set a lamb out of brass in contrast to the nickel silver.
Revelation 5:11-13 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
This was the front of the crown and featured a lion's head of brass which I prong-set later. The cross represents the crucial sacrifice Jesus made to reconcile us to God. Let us not forget it was the most painful shameful way to die and its image would have had terrible meaning to the people under Roman occupation. Yet today it means forgiveness to those who believe, for our death penalty has been reversed because of it.
Philippians 2:8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
