Pendant, Mughal, 17th or 18th century

White nephrite jade pendant, set with rubies and emeralds in gold, mounted in enamelled gold. The gemstones are carved in the form of two birds in a tree, above which are three Chinese-style clouds. The scene painted in enamel on the back showes a male, turbanned figure mounted on a horse with a spear in his hand, riding past rocks and a city, towards a lion. In front of him are cranes and ducks in a river. There are several plant forms engraved in the gold under the translucent green enamel of the river; the landscape and rider at the upper part of the scene are enamelled in opaque white, with outline details painted in black and yellow. The back has two lugs and the scene enamelled on the back is the opposite way up from the pattern on the front.

From the collection of Col. Charles Seton Guthrie.. Transferred in 1879 from the India Museum to the South Kensington Museum, which later became the Victoria & Albert Museum.

The Mughal empire straddled territory in both the modern states of India and Pakistan, which were created as separate entities in 1947. The object may have been made in either of these regions. From Col. Charles Seton Guthrie Collection.

This pendant of white nephrite jade shows the jeweller's skill with the 'kundan' technique of setting precious stones into jade and other materials with tiny strips of highly refined gold. It has a scene on the back painted in enamels.

The details of this scene, such as the feathers on the wings and tails of the birds, are carved onto the rubies. The scene on the back of the pendant is painted in enamel and shows a horseman and a lion in a landscape. Instead of the more usual colourful designs it is enamelled in opaque white as in a line drawing. In the foreground is a river in green enamel with cranes and ducks.

02534(IS)