Pendant with Cain and Abel
Unknown Artist
second half 19th century
Medium
Gold enamel, rubies and pearls.
Dimensions
H. 6.5 cm, W. 4.7 cm.
Classification
Jewelry, Precious Metals and Precious Stones
Culture
Austrian (Vienna) or German (Frankfurt-am-Main)
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1512
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite pendant, created in the second half of the 19th century, brings the biblical story of Cain and Abel to life through masterful jewelry craftsmanship. Likely produced in Vienna or Frankfurt-am-Main, the small gold piece (just 6.5 cm high) uses vibrant enamel to depict the brothers in vivid detail, accented with rubies and pearls for a rich, luminous effect. Such religious subjects were popular in European jewelry of the era, reflecting a blend of devotional meaning and fashionable display. The combination of gold enamel with precious stones highlights advanced 19th-century techni...