Temple of Hercules Pendant

The Temple of Hercules pendant began with an old architectural engraving, originally produced by Giovanni Battista Piranes in 1764 documenting the temple ruins of the ancient world. Like the Tempo Dea Vesta, our goals to accurately translate monumental architecture, but reduced to something small enough to hold and wear.

Translating the engraving into a depth map introduced its own imperfections. Light and shadow do not always behave as expected, and details intended to project forward sometimes receded instead. After several attempts to correct them, these irregularities began to feel less like mistakes and more like traces of the original engraving slowly reemerging in silver centuries later.

Each pendant begins as sterling silver, melted and formed individually, then hammered by hand before engraving. One of the hammers used in the studio was made by Nicolas in high school. Through years of use, its face has worn, leaving a subtle texture with every strike.

Due to this method of production, each pendant carries its own individual characteristics. Variations in the silver, hammering, and engraving are inherent to the process, ensuring that no two pieces will ever be identical.

The Details

• Material: Sterling silver
• Type: Pendant
• Inspiration: Giovanni Battista Piranesi, 1764
• Made in: Vancouver, BC