Necklace thumbnail 1
Necklace thumbnail 2
+3
images
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Medieval & Renaissance, Room 62, The Foyle Foundation Gallery

This object consists of 2 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Necklace

ca. 1540 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Italy (made)

The chain is composed of eight groups of seven and one group of ten rosette shaped links enamelled in black between cloisons. Plain twisted gold wire links connect the rosettes. Interspaced between the groups of rosette links, are nine rectangular oblong links in gold enamelled white and painted in Roman capitals UBI AMOR IBI FIDES.

Because of the nature of the inscription on the chain, it is likely that it was a wedding present. Jewellery was part of the many presents given to the future bride and as many of the gifts it could be inscribed with the initials of the new couple, with their family coats of arms or, like here, with amorous mottos.


Object details

Categories
Metalwork
Jewellery
Religion
SCRAN
Europeana Fashion Project
Object type
Necklace
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Necklace
  • Cross
Materials and techniques
Gold, enamelled in black and white
Gold
Enamel
Enamelled
Brief description
Necklace, gold with black and white enamel and with inscription on the chain, Italian, ca. 1540.
Physical description
The chain is composed of eight groups of seven and one group of ten rosette shaped links enamelled in black between cloisons. Plain twisted gold wire links connect the rosettes. Interspaced between the groups of rosette links, are nine rectangular oblong links in gold enamelled white and painted in Roman capitals UBI AMOR IBI FIDES.
Dimensions
  • Length: 30.5cm (Note: Measured by Michaela Zoschg and Laura Chase on 15/12/2022. Please note: this measurement is the 'double length' of this necklace - i.e. the length of the chain as worn - laid down flat but not in a straight line. Still in a loop shape as it would be worn around the neck. For handling reasons, it was not possible to measure the length of the chain when laid out in a straight line. )
  • Depth: 2mm (Note: Measured by Michaela Zoschg and Laura Chase on 15/12/2022)
Measured in preparation for LNO2011, Love & Marriage in the Renaissance, The Holburne Museum, Bath, 26/05/23 - 01/10/2023
Style
Renaissance
Marks and inscriptions
VBI AMOR IBI FIDES
Translation
Where there is Love, there is Faith.
Gallery label
  • 154. Necklace Italian, c.1540 Gold enamelled in black and white, l 59.8 cm Inscribed: 'Ubi Amor Ibi Fides' (Where there is Love, there is also Fidelity). V&A: M.117-1975 Given by Dame Joan Evans, PPSA.(2006)
  • 2 NECKLACE WITH PENDANT GOld, enamelled in black and white. some links in the necklace chain inscribed UBI AMOR IBI FIDES (Where is love there is also faith) ITALIAN: about 1540 M.117-1975 Given by Dame JOan Evans, P.P.S.A. This is the full text from Bury, 1982, Case 12, Board I, no.2, p.64(1982)
Credit line
Given by Dame Joan Evans
Historical context
An identical chain appears in a portrait probably of Renée of France, Duchess of Ferrara, attributed to Girolamo da Carpi (1501-1556) in the Städelsches Kunstinstitut Frankfurt am Main. It is dated 1528.
A chain made of the same rosette-shaped links with black enamel is worn by the woman in A Young Woman with her Little Boy, a painting by Agnolo Bronzino (1503-1572) in the Washington National Gallery of Art, Widener Collection (1942.9.6) dated ca.1540.
On this basis the chain has been attributed to Italy and and dated ca.1540.

Because of the nature of the inscription on the chain, it is likely that it was a wedding present. Jewellery was part of the many presents given to the future bride and as many of the gifts it could be inscribed with the initials of the new couple, with their family coats of arms or, like here, with amorous mottos.
Association
Evans, Joan Dame
Summary
The chain is composed of eight groups of seven and one group of ten rosette shaped links enamelled in black between cloisons. Plain twisted gold wire links connect the rosettes. Interspaced between the groups of rosette links, are nine rectangular oblong links in gold enamelled white and painted in Roman capitals UBI AMOR IBI FIDES.

Because of the nature of the inscription on the chain, it is likely that it was a wedding present. Jewellery was part of the many presents given to the future bride and as many of the gifts it could be inscribed with the initials of the new couple, with their family coats of arms or, like here, with amorous mottos.
Bibliographic references
  • Princely Magnificence: Court Jewels of the Renaissance 1500-1630, London: Debrett's, 1980.
  • Ajmar-Wollheim, Marta and Flora Dennis, At Home in Renaissance Italy, London: V&A Publishing, 2006.
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
M.117:1, 2-1975

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Record createdSeptember 29, 2004
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O105954/necklace-unknown/
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