It only takes a garland of curved and looping coats of arms to turn a rather plain-looking medallion into a delightful piece of jewellery. Elaborately worked by the goldsmith Abraham Schwedler.
in the middle of the piece is a portrait of Elector Johann Georg the First of Saxony. The oval medal was cast in 1611 by Daniel Kellerthaler. The setting was added later. It consists of the enamelled coats of arms of the many territories ruled by Johann Georg, with an eyelet bearing the Elector's initials as a monogram and three pendant pearls.
At the time, it wasn't uncommon for coats of arms to feature in the setting of a medal jewel. But in this case, the coats of arms with the scrolling on either side are themselves the decorative setting. The work is a nice example of the creativity and skill displayed by Abraham Schwedler in his work as a goldsmith.
Medal jewels like the ones on show here first appeared in German-speaking countries in the final decades of the 16th century and were still being made well into the 17th century. Princes exchanged them as prestigious gifts, or handed them out to their subjects – either as a mark of favour, or as a reward for services rendered. That's why they used to be known as "Gnadenpfennige", literally "favour pennies. Anyone wearing such a piece of jewellery on a long chain was announcing to all and sundry that they had a noble patron. This form of award was a forerunner of decorations and medals of merit.
Further Media
- Material & Technique
- Gold, cast, decorated with 10 coats of arms, partially enamelled, with 3 chains at the top and carrying loop as an oval shield under an elector's hat, 3 pearls
- Museum
- Münzkabinett
- Location & Dating
- Saxony, 1611 (1626-1632)
- Inventory number
- BGA4154