Pendant with Intaglio Portrait of Anna of Austria in Enameled Frame
19th century (?)
Medium
Intaglio: rock crystal Frame: enamel, glass, gold, and pearl
Dimensions
9.6 × 6.4 × 1.3 cm (3 3/4 × 2 1/2 × 1/2 in.)
Classification
pendant (jewelry)
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
117309
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This portrait had been thought to date about 1570, when Anna Maria of Austria married King Phillip II of Spain. It is likely, however, this refined intaglio image was carved after a contemporary painting but in the nineteenth century. The frame executed in a delicate process known as émail en résille sur verre emulated a seventeenth-century technique but was certainly done in the nineteenth century.
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...