Brooch of the Lamb of God
- Audio guide stop: 474
- Gallery: Room 47
- Maker: Workshop of Castellani
- Made in: Rome (city)
- Date: 1860 (circa)
- Object type: brooch
- Materials: gold; enamel
- Museum number: 1978,1002.407
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is the "Brooch of the Lamb of God," a finely crafted jewel from the mid-1800s, made in Rome by the Workshop of Castellani. Its center features a central mosaic panel where a stylized lamb is shown on a green field, framed by a gold halo. The mosaic is set against a patterned background in red, blue, and grey.
The brooch’s border is equally intricate—gold creates small compartments, or cells, filled with cloisonné enamel. Within each cell is a lozenge or four-petal shape in green enamel, with a red center and white circles nestled at the corners. The enamel forms a raised, textured pattern, giving dimension to the piece.
This ornate style of jewelry was inspired by Early Christian and Byzantine mosaics, particularly in Rome. The design borrows elements from historical pieces while adding the Castellani workshop’s signature craftsmanship. This brooch was donated to the museum by Anne and John Hull Grundy in 1974.
See it in person
Brooch of the Lamb of God is on display in Room 47 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and type its audio guide stop number, 474, from the gallery label, or take a photo of it, to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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