Elements from a Necklace
Unknown Artist
late 15th–16th century
Medium
Gold, cloisonnè enamel
Dimensions
f:wheel shaped medallion: 3 x 3/16 in. (7.6 x 0.5 cm) b,d,j,h:4 lotus bud plaques: 3 5/16 x 2 1/16 x 3/16 in. (8.4 x 5.2 x 0.5 cm) e,g:largest cylindrical beads: 2 x 3/4 in. (5.1 x 1.9 cm) c,i:cylindrical beads: 1 7/8 x 11/16 in. (4.8 x 1.7 cm) a:smallest cylindrical bead: 1 x 1/2 in. (2.5 x 1.3 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Gold
Culture
Spanish
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.190.161a-j
Art Historical Context
"Elements from a Necklace," crafted by an unknown Spanish artist in the late 15th 16th century, the exquisite metalwork of late medieval Iberia. This delicate ensemble includes a wheel-shaped medallion (just 3 inches across), four lotus bud plaques, and a series of cylindrical gold beads ranging from tiny 1-inch pieces to larger 2-inch ones. Likely part of a luxurious necklace worn by nobility, these fragments highlight the era's blend of opulence and intricate design, when Spain's Reconquista and early Renaissance fostered rich artistic exchanges. The medium—gold with cloisonné enamel—is par...