Rosary Bead; Mass of Saint Gregory

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Title: Exquisite Paternoster Bead; Mass of Saint Gregory, circa 1500-1510 Link to Smith College Museum of Art Collections Record: http://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?museum=all&t=objects&type=all&f=&s=paternoster+bead&record=2 This exceptional and intricately carved bead was likely once part of a rosary, a chain of beads that served as reminders to recite specific prayers during the Catholic rosary meditation. A testament to technical expertise, this paternoster bead was closely tied to the "Our Father" prayer. Most surviving examples of such opulent and costly rosaries (King Henry VIII of England owned one) appear to have been crafted in a workshop in southern Netherlands between 1510 and 1540, which also produced intricate miniature carved boxwood altars and tabernacles. The two interior scenes convey key Catholic teachings. In the upper scene, Christ on the cross stands above the altar while St. Gregory (504-640?) celebrates mass with fervor.