Pendant Cross
1820-1867 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Italian women have always loved lavish display. Even for the poorest, a rich show of jewellery was all important. Italian goldsmiths were expert at making a little material go a very long way. Many pieces seem too large to wear comfortably, but they are usually made of very thin gold, and are much lighter than they appear. Even the largest pieces weigh only a few grams.
Huge pendants and earrings like this were worn throughout northern Italy in the first half of the 19th century. The design is based on older aristocratic jewellery, but the execution is uniquely Italian. This pendant would originally have had a matching cross hanging from the oval space at the bottom of the lower part.
It was bought for £3 12s as part of the Castellani collection of Italian Peasant Jewellery at the International Exhibition, Paris, 1867.
Huge pendants and earrings like this were worn throughout northern Italy in the first half of the 19th century. The design is based on older aristocratic jewellery, but the execution is uniquely Italian. This pendant would originally have had a matching cross hanging from the oval space at the bottom of the lower part.
It was bought for £3 12s as part of the Castellani collection of Italian Peasant Jewellery at the International Exhibition, Paris, 1867.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Gold sheet |
Brief description | Large foliated pendant of sheet gold, Piedmont (Italy), 1820-1867. |
Physical description | Part of a large pendant of thin sheet gold, pierced and engraved in a floral pattern, with raised hollow faceted domes. There is a loop for suspension on the back of the upper part. The lowest part, which would have been a stylised cross, is missing. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions | Illegible mark. (On each of the two pieces, on the front.)
|
Object history | Castellani Collection |
Summary | Italian women have always loved lavish display. Even for the poorest, a rich show of jewellery was all important. Italian goldsmiths were expert at making a little material go a very long way. Many pieces seem too large to wear comfortably, but they are usually made of very thin gold, and are much lighter than they appear. Even the largest pieces weigh only a few grams. Huge pendants and earrings like this were worn throughout northern Italy in the first half of the 19th century. The design is based on older aristocratic jewellery, but the execution is uniquely Italian. This pendant would originally have had a matching cross hanging from the oval space at the bottom of the lower part. It was bought for £3 12s as part of the Castellani collection of Italian Peasant Jewellery at the International Exhibition, Paris, 1867. |
Bibliographic reference | 'Italian Jewellery as worn by the Peasants of Italy', Arundel Society, London, 1868, Plate 1 |
Collection | |
Accession number | 397-1868 |
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Record created | April 3, 2009 |
Record URL |
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