Pendant

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Pendants in the form of living creatures, both real and fantastic, start to appear in Spain in large numbers in the latter part of the sixteenth century. Although highly embellished with precious gems, most reflect the interest of Spanish goldsmiths in the lifelike portrayal of the underlying natural form. Dolphins and other sea creatures seem to have been particularly popular as talismans, perhaps reflecting the dangers inherent in the maritime enterprises so central to the exploitation of Spain's overseas empire — the source of the gold and emeralds used to produce this fish.

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The fifty thousand objects in the Museum's comprehensive and historically important collection of European sculpture and decorative arts reflect the development of a number of art forms in Western European countries from the early fifteenth through the early twentieth century. The holdings include sculpture in many sizes and media, woodwork and furniture, ceramics and glass, metalwork and jewelry, horological and mathematical instruments, and tapestries and textiles. Ceramics made in Asia for export to European markets and sculpture and decorative arts produced in Latin America during this period are also included among these works.

Metropolitan Museum of Art