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Image

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  • An ornate brooch featuring a central pink gemstone surrounded by enameled decoration in green and black. Two symmetrical dragon heads adorn the sides.

Unknown Maker, Italian

Brooch
Now On View

Description

Maker

Unknown Maker, Italian

Culture

Italian

Title

Brooch

Year

ca.1590

Medium

  • silver,
  • gold,
  • Amethyst,
  • green stones

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

  • silver,
  • gold,
  • Amethyst,
  • green stones

Materials

silver, gold, Amethyst, stone

Dimensions

5.6 x 4.5 cm (2 3/16 x 1 3/4 inches)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Bequest of Isaac C. Bates

Object Number

13.696

Type

  • Jewelry

Projects & Publications

Articles

Jewelry from the Decorative Arts and Design Collection

The American and European jewelry collection at the RISD Museum, part of the Decorative Arts and Design Department, is made up of more than 800 works, including necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings from the medieval period to present day.

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

European Galleries
Sep 02, 2017

Label copy

In 1498, Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama discovered a sea route around Africa to India, allowing an influx of gemstones to flow from Asia to Europe in the 1500s. New jewelry designs were printed and made available internationally, and techniques were published in works such as Benvenuto Cellini’s 1568 book The Treatises of Goldsmithing and Sculpture.

During this time, European painting and sculpture had a great influence on jewelry design. Many painters included detailed depictions of jewelry in their portraits and other paintings. They also designed jewelry, commissioning goldsmiths and other specialists to execute these designs, which were sold to wealthy patrons.

Use & Feedback

Image use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use.

This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Unknown Maker, Italian
Brooch, ca.1590
Silver, gold, amethyst, green stones
5.6 x 4.5 cm (2 3/16 x 1 3/4 inches)
Bequest of Isaac C. Bates 13.696

To request new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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