A gold and enamel Renaissance Revival pendant
A large pendant designed as a siren holding aloft a golden sword, suspended by two chains from an enamelled eagle plaque. The female torso of the siren and the head of one sea monster of carved coral, one back fin and the tail suspending pearls. Decorated to both sides with coloured champlevé and ronde bosse enamel, set to the front with drilled freshwater pearls, a turquoise cabochon, table-cut emeralds and diamonds. The eagle set with an oval emerald cabochon (ca. 10 x 8 mm), the tail suspending a drilled, droplet shaped emerald (ca. 13.8 x 11.1 x 8.3 mm). Three droplets lost. Ca. 7 x 9 cm. Total H ca. 15 cm. Weight 90 g.
Spanish or Colonial, 2nd half 19th C., possibly using older coral carvings.
The design of this pendant is based on Spanish examples of the 17th century, when pendants designed as mythical beasts such as the "Sirena del Mar", a chimera formed from the bodies of a human, bird, and fish, enjoyed immense popularity. The siren is traditionally depicted holding a mirror, however, this example holds a sword, which could suggest a heraldic association. The symbol of the city of Warsaw is a mermaid with a sword, and the eagle as a crowning element would suit this.
Provenance
Purchased from Barcena art dealership, Madrid.
Literature
Cf. Muller, Jewels in Spain, 1500-1700, Editiones El Viso 2012, p. 87 ff.