Pendant
1805-1870 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Spain and Portugal were intensely Catholic in the 17th century, the heartland of the Counter Reformation that set out to reinvigorate the Roman Catholic Church. Traditional jewellery often incorporated Catholic religious symbols, such as the cross and heart.
The shape of this gold pendant is typical of northern Portugal. Similar pendants were also made in sheet gold with engraved decoration, and in openwork filigree, but always in the same shape of a heart with a curved point, and crown-shaped top. In the 16th century traders carried Spanish and Portuguese fashions in jewellery around the world. Heart-shaped brooches, like these pendants, are still worn today in Malaysia.
It was bought for £2 at the International Exhibition, London, 1872.
The shape of this gold pendant is typical of northern Portugal. Similar pendants were also made in sheet gold with engraved decoration, and in openwork filigree, but always in the same shape of a heart with a curved point, and crown-shaped top. In the 16th century traders carried Spanish and Portuguese fashions in jewellery around the world. Heart-shaped brooches, like these pendants, are still worn today in Malaysia.
It was bought for £2 at the International Exhibition, London, 1872.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Gold sheet and applied filigree |
| Brief description | Gold pendant heart with applied filigree decoration, Oporto (Portugal), 1850-1870. |
| Physical description | Hollow gold heart-shaped pendant, with curved point and stylised crown at the top, made from thin sheet gold decorated on both sides with lozenges and edging made from applied rings of twisted wire. A rosette on the joint between heart and crown. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | Illegible mark. (On base of loop.) |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Spain and Portugal were intensely Catholic in the 17th century, the heartland of the Counter Reformation that set out to reinvigorate the Roman Catholic Church. Traditional jewellery often incorporated Catholic religious symbols, such as the cross and heart. The shape of this gold pendant is typical of northern Portugal. Similar pendants were also made in sheet gold with engraved decoration, and in openwork filigree, but always in the same shape of a heart with a curved point, and crown-shaped top. In the 16th century traders carried Spanish and Portuguese fashions in jewellery around the world. Heart-shaped brooches, like these pendants, are still worn today in Malaysia. It was bought for £2 at the International Exhibition, London, 1872. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1074-1873 |
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| Record created | January 18, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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