Design for the Verso of a Pendant with an Oval Motif Between Strapwork

Art Historical Context

This exquisite engraving, *Design for the Verso of Pendant with an Oval Mot Between Strapwork*, created in 1604 by Flemish engraver Jan Colla I, with publication by Theodoor Galle Measuring just 6 7/16 × 4 3/4 inches, it belongs to the second state of two, as cataloged in New Hollstein, and resides in the Metropolitan Museum of's Drawings and Prints department, acquired through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund 1930. Hailing from the Spanish Netherlands during the late Renaissance, this print exemplifies the booming trade in ornamental designs that fueled Europe's decorative arts. Goldsmiths and jewelers relied on such engravings to replicate intricate patterns for luxury items like pendants—here, the verso (back side) features an elegant oval motif framed by elaborate strapwork, a Mannerist motif mimicking intertwined leather straps, popular in architecture and metalwork from the 1550s onward. The medium of engraving combined with blackwork—dense cross-hatching for rich tonal depth—allowed precise reproduction of fine details, making it an invaluable pattern book. Collaert's meticulous linework captures the era's fascination with symmetry and fantasy, bridging art and craft in a time when Antwerp was Europe's printmaking hub. A testament to Renaissance ingenuity, it invites us to imagine this delicate design adorning a noble's necklace.