Two Pendant Designs with Sun-Dials on Top

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection, where we encounter *Two Pendant Designs with Sunials on Top* by engraver Jan Collaert I, after 1581. delicate engraving, measuring just 6 15/16 × 5 3/16 inches, captures two ornate pendant designs topped with functional sundials. As a second state from the New Hollstein catalog, it exemplifies the meticulous revisions common in Renaissance printmaking, where subtle changes enhanced clarity or added publisher marks. In the vibrant artistic hub of Antwerp during the late 16th century, Collaert specialized in ornamental prints that bridged fine art and craftsmanship. These designs reflect the era's fascination with combining beauty and utility—jewelry that doubled as timepieces. Sundial pendants were status symbols for the elite, merging scientific ingenuity with elaborate decoration, and prints like this served as blueprints for goldsmiths across Europe. This work highlights engraving's role in democratizing luxury design, allowing artisans to replicate intricate motifs precisely. Acquired through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund in 1923, it invites us to marvel at how Renaissance ingenuity turned everyday adornment into a portable marvel of math and elegance.