Pendant in the form of a seated cat by Unknown Artist - late 16th–early 17th century - 5.2 cm Metropolitan Museum of Art Pendant in the form of a seated cat by Unknown Artist - late 16th–early 17th century - 5.2 cm Metropolitan Museum of Art

Pendant in the form of a seated cat

Baroque pearl with enameled gold mounts and with pendant pearls • 5.2 cm
  • Unknown Artist Unknown Artist late 16th–early 17th century

You know we love cats! When we saw this beautiful Spanish pendant, we couldn't resist.

The tiny animal of this pendant has the expectant look of an impatient house cat awaiting its bowl of cream (or just being a fat dignified cat). A design for a comparable jewel with a seated but somewhat more placid cat appears in a drawing by Gabriell Gomar, dated 1603, from the Llibres de Passanties, a set of volumes containing the master drawings of applicants for admission to the Barcelona goldsmiths’ guild. The drawing was illustrated by Priscilla E. Muller, who noted that similar jewels had previously been considered to be German. From the evidence provided by the design, however, this jewel is now being attributed to a Spanish goldsmith working about 1580 to 1590.

The Spanish design shows the cat seated on a cushion-like base decorated with ornamental scrolling. The base of this jewel consists of an oval plinth with openwork guilloche-patterned sides. The underside, possibly a later replacement, is decorated with enameled birds and foliage that owe their inspiration to the enamels associated with such northern centers as Augsburg and Prague.

P.S. Purrrrr beauty! Here are 15 cats in art history every cat lover would love!  <3