Oval Pendant Decorated with Schweifwerk, Surrounded by Smaller Motifs and Four Birds

Art Historical Context

This delicate oval pendant design, created around 1614–19 by Jacques Hurtu and engraved by Pierre Firens I, exemplifies the refined ornamental prints that circulated among jewelers and artisans in early seventeenth-century Europe. Measuring just under four inches tall, the blackwork and engraving captures intricate Schweifwerk—flowing tail-like scroll ornament—arranged symmetrically around a central field, accented by smaller decorative motifs and four lively birds. The technique combines dense, velvety black lines with precise engraving, allowing the pattern to stand out clearly for transfer onto metal or other materials. As a work classified under ornament and architecture, the print served as both a practical model and a showcase of artistic invention. Its compact format and detailed motifs reflect the period’s taste for elaborate personal adornment, where jewelry often incorporated natural symbols such as birds to convey grace, vigilance, or protection. Today preserved at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the sheet offers modern viewers a glimpse into the collaborative world of designers and printmakers who shaped the decorative arts of the time.