Design for the Verso of a Pendant with a Vase at Center 1530 - 1573

This is a design for a pendant, created by Jan Collaert I in the late 16th century. At the time, Antwerp was a center for the production and trade of luxury goods, and Collaert was one of many artists who created designs for jewelers and other artisans. This particular design is intricate and ornate, reflecting the opulence of the Renaissance court. Note the vase motif at the center, surrounded by swirling foliage and delicate flowers. How might the wearer have felt adorned with such an elaborate piece? Jewelry, then as now, was a powerful symbol of status and identity. Pendants like this would have been worn by wealthy women and men as a way to signal their place in society. But it's also worth considering the labor and materials involved in creating such a piece, and the complex social relations that made its production possible. As you consider Collaert's design, think about the ways in which jewelry can both reflect and shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.