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Pendant

Pendant

  • Place of origin:

    England, Great Britain (probably, made)

  • Date:

    1675-1700 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    unknown (production)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Gold, enamel, rock crystal, silver and hair under glass

  • Credit Line:

    Frank Ward Bequest

  • Museum number:

    M.21-1960

  • Gallery location:

    Jewellery, room 91 mezzanine, case 81, shelf D1, box 2

  • Download image

This jewel celebrates the pain of love. At its centre is an enamelled figure of Cupid with a heart in each hand set against a panel of woven hair. Around this, in curling gold wire is written a line from the 6th-century Greek poet Anacreon's Ode XL. Written in French, still regarded as the language of love, it pronounces 'JE ME MEURS MA MERE' (I am dying, Mother) - a cry to Venus from the god of love.

Physical description

Gold pendant edged with rock crystals set in silver, an enamelled Cupid against a roundel of plaited hair under glass, and inscribed in gold wire work JE ME MEURS MA MERE ('I am dying, Mother' - a translation of a line in Anacreaon' Ode XL,, probably from a version by Mathurin Régnier). The reverse is enamelled with a floral design.

Place of Origin

England, Great Britain (probably, made)

Date

1675-1700 (made)

Artist/maker

unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Gold, enamel, rock crystal, silver and hair under glass

Marks and inscriptions

inscribed JE ME MEURS MA MERE I am dying, mother

Dimensions

Height: 3.2 cm, Width: 2.4 cm, Depth: 0.9 cm

Descriptive line

Gold pendant, with rock crystals set in silver, an enamelled Cupid against a roundel of plaited hair, and inscribed JE ME MEURS MA MERE, probably England, 1675-1700

Materials

Silver; Gold; Enamel; Glass; Hair; Rock crystal

Techniques

Enamelling

Subjects depicted

Cupid; Love; Medallions (ornament areas)

Categories

Metalwork; Jewellery; Accessories

Collection code

MET

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Qr_O126134
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