Short Temple Pendant, One of a Pair

Art Historical Context

This exquisite *Short Temple Pendant, One of a Pair* hails from the Islamic Art collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a delicate jewel crafted by an unknown artist in the mid- to late 19th century. Standing 5 inches tall and 2⅛ inches wide, it is fashioned from silver, enhanced through fire-gilding—a technique that applies a thin gold-mercury amalgam and fires it to create a luminous sheen without using solid gold. Intricate chasing forms raised designs hammered from the reverse, while openwork pierces the metal for airy elegance, accented by smooth cabochon carnelians that add vibrant...