This brooch is in the form of Pegasus. The body of the horse is enamelled and set with cut diamonds and a cabochon (a gem that has been polished but not faceted) ruby.
About the piece
Late sixteenth-century jewellery was essentially sculptural, influenced by the rediscovery of classical work. It was most typically enamelled gold with stones used as an accent in the design rather than its focus. Stone Cutting was in its infancy, and the inability to cut diamonds effectively meant that other stones, such as the ruby seen here on the body of the pegasus, were more greatly prized. The pegasus brooch would originally have been the focal part of the pendant jewel, which, by the late sixteenth century, had taken over from the cap badge as the dominant form of jewellery. It would have hung, probably with other decorative elements, by chains from a ring attachment, which would have been worn on a ribbon or chain around the neck, or attached to the bodice or sleeve as a brooch.
Animal Motifs in Late Sixteenth-Century Jewellery
Animal and bird motifs were popular and widespread, typically of enamelled gold, often white, as here, and frequently incorporating an irregular shaped baroque pearl (pearls with an irregular, non-spherical shape). It is not possible to pinpoint the source of the jewel since comparable work was produced throughout western europe, and workmen, and pattern books moved from country to country. The animals were often exotic, imaginary or from classical mythology, as in the case of Pegasus, the winged horse, the offspring of Poseidon and Medusa, tamed by the hero Bellerophon.
Pegasus and Greek Mythology
Pegasus, the winged horse of Greek mythology, is typically portrayed as a white stallion. Born from the union of Poseidon, the god of horses, and the Gorgon Medusa, Pegasus’ story has captivated Greco-Roman poets who wrote of his ascent to heaven after birth and his service to Zeus, carrying lightning and thunder from Olympus. Pegasus has been celebrated in rich iconography, notably in ancient Greek pottery and Renaissance art, where he appears frequently in paintings and sculptures.
Images
Sources
The Hunt Museum Essential Guide
Karl Kerényi The Heroes of the Greeks, 1959:80
