2. Artist Unknown, Southern Germany, “Charity Pendant,” about 1590–1600

Worn on a chain, this pendant presents at its center a woman embracing two children, symbolizing the Christian virtue of charity. Some of the gold structure has been decorated with enamel, which is made of ground glass and pigment that produce vivid color when fired in a kiln. French creators also worked in the typical Renaissance style of this German pendant, linking diverse elements together.