Pendant with Double Cross at Centre, Surrounded by Four Large Table-Stones 

This is Daniel Mignot's “Pendant with Double Cross at Centre, Surrounded by Four Large Table-Stones,” created sometime between 1593 and 1616. Mignot lived in a time of religious and political strife as the protestant reformation swept through Europe. Consider how the cross, a symbol of profound religious significance, is rendered here as an object of wealth and status. The symmetry and intricate detailing speak to the values of the aristocracy, yet the presence of the cross hints at the complex relationship between religious identity and social power. What did it mean to wear such an overt symbol of faith during a time of persecution? How might the experience of seeing this pendant differ based on one’s own religious identity and social standing? This piece invites us to reflect on the personal and societal implications of adornment. The cross transcends its religious meaning and becomes a statement, laden with the weight of historical context and individual experience.