Pendant with Chain
Unknown Artist
1700s
Medium
Gold, emerald, diamonds, enamel, and pearl
Dimensions
7.4 × 4.8 cm
Classification
Jewelry
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Bequest of Anne Jessop Smith
Accession Number
1966.515
About this artwork
The central emerald has been subtly incised with a many-petaled lotus flower, a symbol of the sun, suggesting the radiance of the outsize gem. The enameling on the back depicts a peacock with a pair of peahens amid flowers. Peacocks signal the monsoon rains. The refined use of enamel indicates that this piece was assembled in the specialized workshops of Jaipur, but the size of the emerald suggests that it was made for imperial use.