Reverse Copy of Design for a Pendant, from Ars His Myronis Nobilis Effingitus Pagellulis 1595 - 1605

Editor: So this is “Reverse Copy of Design for a Pendant, from Ars His Myronis Nobilis Effingitus Pagellulis,” made sometime between 1595 and 1605. It’s a print – etching, engraving, pen drawing, the works – by Paul Birckenhultz. The detail is incredible. All those tiny figures…what do you see in it? Curator: I see a fascinating intersection of craft, design, and power dynamics of the period. Consider how ornament, even something as small as a pendant, becomes a site of symbolic display. What narratives are embedded in this intricate design? Editor: I guess, looking at it now, it seems like it’s trying to communicate wealth. Those jewels at the bottom and the perfect symmetry suggests… luxury? Curator: Exactly. But beyond wealth, what kind of wealth is being signaled, and to whom? Think about the intended audience and the power relations at play. This pendant design, with its classical figures and controlled ornamentation, speaks to a very specific, elite understanding of beauty and status. Do you notice any recurring motifs? Editor: I see a lot of floral and serpentine motifs... are the snakes important? I also see winged figures holding the pendants. Curator: Good eye! The serpents were potent symbols of status. In the 16th and 17th centuries, there was great effort by political and religious forces to control imagery related to mythological narratives that predated them, particularly images of nature and powerful women. How does understanding the broader cultural context influence your interpretation? Editor: So, it’s not just pretty, but a conscious expression of power and cultural values? It really makes you wonder about the wearer. It also is kind of… unsettling, realizing how even personal adornment is enmeshed in that. Curator: Precisely. Art like this reveals how deeply embedded systems of power and meaning are. Looking at it closely reveals how even ornament reveals dynamics of culture. Editor: Definitely gives you a different way of viewing jewellery now. I didn’t expect that a pendant design could be so political!