Pendant with the Head of Medusa

1885/1890

Alfred André

Jeweler, French, 1839 - 1919

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    chalcedony; gold enameled in black, white, pale blue, translucent red, blue and green; 6 diamonds, 4 rubies, 1 pearl

  • Credit Line

    Widener Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall: 12 x 6.8 x 2.5 cm (4 3/4 x 2 11/16 x 1 in.)

  • Accession

    1942.9.306

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Said to have belonged to Count Stephen Keglevich [1740-1793], Vienna.[1] Said to have belonged to the duke of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace.[2] (Duveen, New York); purchased 3 February 1923 by Joseph E. Widener, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, probably as Italian, sixteenth century; inheritance from the Estate of Peter A. B. Widener by gift through power of appointment of Joseph E. Widener, after purchase by funds of the Estate, 1942.
[1] This is neither verifiable nor possible, since the object was created only in the nineteenth century. [2] M. H. Nevel Story-Maskelyne, The Marlborough Gems (London, 1890), makes no mention of this work.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1935

  • Inventory of the Objects d'Art at Lynnewood Hall, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, The Estate of the Late P.A.B. Widener. Philadelphia, 1935: 46.

1942

  • Works of Art from the Widener Collection. Foreword by David Finley and John Walker. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1942: 11, as Italian 16th Century.

1956

  • Steingräber, Erich. Alter Schmuck. Munich, 1956: 113, fig. 185; English ed. 1957: 112, fig. 185.

1979

  • Hackenbroch, Yvonne. Renaissance Jewellery. London and Munich: 1979: 41, no. 76, color pl. 4.

1981

  • Newman, Harold. An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewellery. London, 1981: 198, 199.

1983

  • Wilson, Carolyn C. Renaissance Small Bronze Sculpture and Associated Decorative Arts at the National Gallery of Art. Washington, 1983: 165-166.

1993

  • Distelberger, Rudolf, Alison Luchs, Philippe Verdier, and Timonthy H. Wilson. Western Decorative Arts, Part I: Medieval, Renaissance, and Historicizing Styles including Metalwork, Enamels, and Ceramics. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. Washington, D.C., 1993: 291-294, color repro. 292.

2019

  • Vignon, Charlotte. Duveen Brothers and the Market for Decorative Arts, 1880-1940. New York, 2019: 103, 259 n. 269.

Wikidata ID

Q62131041

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