Cleveland Museum of Art

Pendant with Chain

Date

1700s

Medium

Gold, emerald, diamonds, enamel, and pearl

Culture

Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Jaipur

Department

Indian and Southeast Asian Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The central emerald has been subtly incised with a many-petaled lotus flower, a symbol of the sun, suggesting the radiance of the outsize gem. The enameling on the back depicts a peacock with a pair of peahens amid flowers. Peacocks signal the monsoon rains. The refined use of enamel indicates that this piece was assembled in the specialized workshops of Jaipur, but the size of the emerald suggests that it was made for imperial use. The bright color of the emerald indicates it was sourced in South America.

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