Vertical Panel with Design for a Pendant, from Omnis Generis Instrumenta Bellica 1595 - 1605

Paul Birckenhultz created this design for a pendant sometime in the late 16th or early 17th century. During this period, fashion became an important marker of social status, and jewelry was no exception. This print showcases an elaborate design filled with military motifs, reflecting the omnipresence of war and the celebration of military prowess. The central figure of a male torso, adorned with weaponry, evokes classical ideals of the heroic, muscular male body. Yet, this ideal is literally constructed from symbols of violence and power, which seems less about the individual and more about the spectacle of strength. Note the serpentine forms that coil around the upper part of the pendant, culminating in a grotesque mask. This blend of beauty and the grotesque was a common feature in Renaissance design, reflecting a complex relationship to classical antiquity and the realities of the present. Ultimately, this design reveals how personal adornment was deeply intertwined with displays of power, class, and the pervasive culture of militarism in early modern Europe. It leaves us to consider the weight of history embedded in the objects we choose to wear.