Italian Marriage Emblems Scarf*The Met Store Sale

The splendid design on this artful scarf is borrowed from a 16th-century fragment of damask boasting ovoid forms, garland leaves, and a diamond ring emerging from a crown bearing three pears. This pattern—and others like it—date between the year 1516 and the 17th century. As such, it may have been created for the powerful Medici family (the diamond ring being one of their heraldic symbols) or a similar household such as the Peruzzi or Peri, whose surname could be referenced by the pear. The popularity of the diamond ring motif suggests that it was appropriate for multiple families, perhaps implemented within the context of a wedding.