Bone vanitas rosary bead carved with four heads16th century

A bone vanitas rosary bead carved with four heads.

French, 16th century.

Measures 3.3 x 3.2 x 3.1cm.

The quadrifron bead is carved with the heads of Christ, a skull, a youthful woman and a man.

Originally part of a rosary, this bead features the head of Christ as a focal point for personal devotion, while the youthful man and woman symbolise vitality and the fleeting nature of youth. The skull serves as a solemn reminder of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice for humanity’s sins and a meditation on our own mortality.