Collection Online as of September 29, 2023

Pendants

1800s

Part of a set. See all set records

India, Delhi

Gilt silver with diamonds, emeralds, rubies, pearls, and enamel

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade 1916.280

Location

230 Photography

Fun Fact

The fish are crystal on one side and emerald on the other.

Description

Worn either as earrings or pendants from a crown, these double-sided, symmetrical jeweled assemblages each feature a fish as the central ornament. The pair of fish is one of a set of eight auspicious symbols known in Indian art for more than two millennia. As creatures of the waters that are essential for life, they betoken fertility and abundance—attributes of an ideal ruler.

Provenance

?–1916

Mr. Jeptha Homer Wade II [1857–1926] and Mrs. Ellen Garretson Wade [1859–1917], Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art

1916–

The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Exhibition history

Exhibition of the Month: Jewelry of India. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (April 1-June 2, 1947).

Exhibition of the Month: Indian Miniatures. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 15-September 28, 1952).

Raja Deen Dayal: The King of Indian Photographers. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (April 23, 2023-February 4, 2024).