Origin of Name
The Sea Dragon Pendant, based on the famous
Renaissance designs for pendants, of dragons and sea horses, by the
Bavarian goldsmith, jewelry craftsman and designer, Erasmus Hornick,
gets its name from its monstrous shape like a sea dragon. Such pendants
designed in a variety of shapes, such as dragons, monsters, sea horses,
dolphins, mermen, mermaids and other mythical creatures as well as
naturalistic themes such as birds and mammals, became very popular in
the late Renaissance period and were produced by jewelry craftsmen in
many countries across Europe, such as Spain, Holland, France, Florence,
Bavaria etc. Historical evidence gathered from portraits of the monarchy
and aristocracy of the period show, that these pendants were worn in
different ways during this period. A portrait of Anne of Habsburg, Queen
of Spain, painted around 1570 by Anthonis Mor, show her wearing a
Renaissance pendant closer to her throat like a choker. Another portrait
of Lady Willoughby dated 1573, show her wearing a renaissance pendant on
the cotiere on the breast. Portraits of Queen Elizabeth I, show her
wearing renaissance pendants pinned to swing from her stiff sleeves.
The extraordinary designs of the Renaissance period
were actually created to accommodate large irregular shaped baroque
pearls, which apparently had no use and would not fit into any
traditional jewelry designs. The most challenging task of the
Renaissance jewelry craftsmen was to create a design that would
accommodate the highly irregular shape of the baroque pearl, that was
one of his raw materials. Usually, he combined the irregular baroque
pearl with other gemstones such as emeralds, rubies and diamonds, as
well as gold and enameling, to obtain the pre-conceived shape that bore
fruit in his fertile imagination. The Sea Dragon Pendant, was one such
creation of the Renaissance jewelry craftsmen, that provides strong
evidence for their ingenuity, skill and inventiveness.
Characteristics of
the pendant
The Sea Dragon Pendant in the Waddesdon Bequest
displayed in Room No. 45 of the British Museum, is based on Erasmus
Hornick's design for pendants, consisting of dragons and sea horses,
that occurred in the engraved designs of the Bavarian goldsmith
published in 1562. One of these designs show a dragon, a mythical
monster like a giant reptile, fierce and frightening, in combat with a
brave warrior, who is in the grip of its powerful claws, but later
vanquished by the warrior by driving his spear through its widely opened
mouth. The design also depicts the use of three drop-shaped pearls from
underneath, to stabilize the envisaged pendant.
Click here for photographs of Erasmus Hornick's engraved designs and the
two lateral views of the Sea Dragon Pendant (External Link)
A second engraved design by Erasmus Hornick depicts
Poseidon the God of the sea, earthquake and horses, in Greek mythology,
astride his magnificent sea stallion, with a beautiful woman, possibly
one of his rape victims, for Poseidon like his brother Zeus exerted
power on women, objectifying masculinity. Poseidon is said to have
fathered many children, after exerting his power on women, that resulted
in offsprings like Triton, half human and half fish, Pegasus, the flying
horse, Theseus, a king of Athens etc. This design also depicts the use
of three drop-shaped pearls for stability.
The Sea Dragon Pendant, which undoubtedly was
inspired by the above engraved designs of Erasmus Hornick, has as its
centerpiece a large, irregular, rather grotesque baroque pearl, which
occupies the oval-shaped body of the dragon. The baroque pearl appears
like a conglomerate of smaller pearls, the outlines of each individual
pearl still clearly visible. The baroque pearl is set in an enameled
gold framework. The tail of the dragon at its point of origin from the
body, is also set with another large baroque pearl. Four smaller
spherical pearls, are also found in the region between the body and the
tail, and above. The head and neck, the coiled tail, and the feet of the
dragon are all made of enameled gold, in bright colors such as green,
gold and brown. The sea dragon is suspended by two gold chains from a
point above, a longer chain carrying three pearls attached to the tail,
and a shorter chain carrying two pearls, attached to the head. A third
chain carrying two pearls hangs freely and vertically from the point of
suspension, and is not attached to any point on the monster. A somewhat
drop-shaped baroque pearl hangs from underneath the sea dragon, serving
a stability function, as intended by the designer Erasmus Hornick. The
description so far is that of the Sea Dragon Pendant as seen from one
side.
Click here for the photograph of the Sea Dragon Pendant (External Link)
From the other side the Sea Dragon Pendant looks
slightly different, as the large baroque pearl that forms the body of
the dragon is not visible, as it is covered by enameled gold. On this
side the enameled gold is set with emeralds. However, the baroque pearl
on the tail is still visible. Four other smaller spherical pearls are
placed in the region between the body and the tail, corresponding to the
positions of the four spherical pearls on the other side. The same
drop-shaped baroque pearl hanging from underneath the sea dragon, is
still visible, though the view is from the rear.
History of the Sea
Dragon Pendant
The origin of the Sea
Dragon Pendant
The shape and features of the Sea Dragon Pendant,
though inspired by Erasmus Hornick's engraved designs, was not a
creation of the renowned Bavarian goldsmith, but probably one of his
contemporaries based in Bavaria during the Renaissance period. It is believed
that the Sea Dragon Pendant probably originated around 1575 in Bavaria,
and later entered the collection of jewelry of an aristocratic family in
Austria, Baron Rothschild, who later settled in Britain.
A short biography of
Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild
Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild (Ferdinand James von
Rothschild), who was a member of the powerful Rothschild banking
dynasty of 19th century Europe, was a renowned English politician, and a
connoisseur and collector of art works. The Rothschild banking family
has its roots from the Jewish quarters of Frankfurt, Germany. The
founder of the family, Mayer Amschel had five sons, who set up a banking
network in the five major financial centers of Europe in the 19th
century - London, Paris, Frankfurt, Vienna and Naples. Their businesses
prospered, and the Rothschild family became one of the wealthiest and
most powerful families in European society.
Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild
Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild was a descendant of the
Austrian branch of the Rothschild banking family based in Vienna. He was
the second son of Baron Anselm von Rothschild (1803-1874), and held the
hereditary title Freiherr (Baron) in the Austrian nobility. He received
his higher education at the Cambridge University, where he developed a
personal relationship with the Prince of Wales, that eventually led to
his acquiring British citizenship and the migration of his family from
Vienna to London. He married his cousin Evelina de Rothschild, on June
7, 1865, but unfortunately lost her the following year at the time of
childbirth. In 1883, Ferdinand de Rothschild was appointed to the office
of High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire. In the year 1885, he entered British
politics and was elected as a Liberal MP for the constituency of
Aylesbury, a seat which he held until his death in 1898.
The Sea Dragon
Pendant enters the Rothschild's collection
Both Ferdinand de Rothschild and his father Anselm
von Rothschild were great connoisseurs and collectors of art, and
developed a special liking towards the collection of art objects that
originated during the Renaissance period in Europe. Their collection was
clearly intended to rival those put together by rulers and princes from
the Renaissance onwards. Eventually they built up a collection of nearly
300 precious art objects from Renaissance Europe, that included
masterpieces of goldsmith's work, painted enamels, glass and ceramics,
sculpture and small carvings in wood. The Sea Dragon Pendant was one
such Renaissance jewelry piece that entered the Rothschild's collection.
Baron Ferdinand
constructs the Waddesdon Manor to house his art treasures
In 1874, Ferdinand acquired an estate in
Buckinghamshire, near the village of Waddesdon, and on this estate built
the renowned Waddesdon Manor, to display his outstanding collection of
art treasures. His fascination for Renaissance period art and
architecture was again brought to the fore when he commissioned a French
Architect, Gabriel-Hippolyte Destailleur to build a Renaissance
style chateau, based on the chateaus in the Loire Valley. He also
engaged the services of a French landscape designer Elie Laine to do the
lay out of the grounds, and the gardens were enhanced with pavilions,
statuary and an aviary. The Waddesdon Manor was completed in the year
1889.
Waddesdon Manor
Baron Ferdinand used the Waddesdon chateau both as a
weekend retreat outside London, where he held his famous house parties,
and also to house and display his extensive collections of French 18th
century tapestries, boiseries, furniture and ceramics, English and Dutch
paintings and Renaissance works of art. The Waddesdon Manor not only
became famous for its Renaissance architecture and the art treasures
that it housed, but also the latest electric lighting in the house
including the newly designed chandeliers, lifts and under-floor heating.
The Renaissance art
treasures are bequeathed to the British Museum in 1898
When Baron Ferdinand died in 1898, his collection of
Renaissance works that included the Sea Dragon Pendant was bequeathed to
the British Museum as the "Waddesdon Bequest." The bequest is a
collection of nearly 300 precious art objects from Renaissance Europe,
that is displayed today in Room 45 of the museum. However other works of
art from various other periods and countries still remained at the
Waddesdon Manor.
Waddesdon Manor after
the death of Baron Ferdinand
After the death of Baron Ferdinand in 1898, the
Waddesdon Manor was inherited by his sister and heir Alice de
Rothschild, who further enhanced the remaining collections. She also
maintained the house and the surrounding gardens, in the same condition
as it was found during Baron Ferdinand's time. When Alice de Rothschild
died in 1922, Waddesdon Manor and the collections passed to her
great-nephew James Armand de Rothschild of the French branch of
the family, who became a British citizen in 1919. James Armand de
Rothschild also took up to politics like his great-uncle Baron Ferdinand
de Rothschild, and represented Isle of Ely constituency from 1929 to
1945, as a Liberal Member of Parliament. In the Coalition Government of
1940-45, during World War II, he served as Parliamentary Secretary to
the Ministry of Supplies. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant for the County
of London. James Armand de Rothschild further enriched the art
collections of Waddesdon Manor, with objects from the collections of his
late father Edmond James de Rothschild.
James Armand de Rothschild
In the year 1957, when James Armand de Rothschild
died, he bequeathed Waddesdon Manor and its collections and the
surrounding garden of 200 acres in extent, to the National Trust,
together with an endowment of £750,000. His widow
Dorothy de Rothschild occupied a nearby house that was previously
occupied by Alice de Rothschild. She took a keen interest in the
management of Waddesdon Manor for the rest of her long life. Today, the
Waddesdon Manor is run by a family charitable trust chaired by the 4th
Lord Rothschild, Jacob Rothschild. The family trust had also overseen a
major restoration program and acquired new collections, and added new
features and displays to both the house and the gardens.
Jacob Rothschild, the 4th Lord
Rothschild
Other
Renaissance pendants displayed at the British Museum
Apart from the Sea Dragon Pendant in the "Waddesdon
Bequest" the British Museum also houses one of the largest collection of
such Renaissance pendants turned out by jewelry craftsmen and artisans
of this period from a host of nations such as Britain, France, Bavaria,
Florence, Spain, Netherlands and Hungary. These Renaissance pendants are
based on popular themes of the period, such as sea dragons and monsters,
hippocampi, mythical horses with fish tails, mermaids, mountain steeds,
rams, the Lamb of God, and Venus and Cupid. Most of these pendants
incorporate baroque pearls as a component, apart from other gemstones
such as emeralds, diamonds rubies etc, and make use of gold and colored
enameling, and are usually hung by gold chains.
You are welcome to discuss this post/related topics with Dr Shihaan and other experts from around the world in our FORUMS (forums.internetstones.com)
Related :-
1)
The Canning Jewel
2)
Sculptural Pendants in the State Hermitage Museum
3)
Tarantula Brooch
External Links :-
www.britishmuseum.org
References :-
1) A History of Jewelry, 1100-1870 - Joan Evans, New
York, 1989.
2) The Waddesdon Bequest (Room 45) -
www.britishmuseum.org
3) Waddesdon Manor - From Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia.
4) Famous Pearls and Collections - www,karipearls.com
5) Poseidon -
www.pantheon.org
7) Monstrous Animals : Hanging Animal Pendants of the
Late Renaissance - by Alexander Ceely,
www.ladysmaidjewels.com
8) Ferdinand James von Rothschild - From Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia
