Beautiful and rare micro carved pendant circa 1800 by Francesco Tanadei depicting Cupid and Mercury playing. Cupid stands on Mercury’s foot and reaches for some cherries dangled above him by Mercury.
The carving is laid on a black background under a domed glass.
The gold frame comprises eleven triangular spikes engraved with a foliate pattern, the back a solid gold panel. 
The cherries held by Mercury representing a blend of intellectual love, physical pleasure, and the swift, often chaotic, nature of romance.
Francesco Tanadei was born in Locarno, Switzerland in 1771 and died in Turin, Italy in 1828.  He was introduced to sculpture by Antonio Pelleago. He worked with Giuseppe Maria Banzanigo Bellinzona, and it was with Bellinzona that Tanadei was introduced to micro carving and became skilled at wood carving. 
Tanadei exhibited  murals with mythological motifs at Turin, which were popular during an earlier art period. 
He also did a large amount of carvings of flower arrangements that were used in jewelry.
In 1809, Tanadei exhibited at the Academy of Sciences in Turin, earning him the 1812 “wood  artist of his Majesty the Governor General, Prince Camillo Borghese.” In 1816, he was named wood  carver to King Victor Emmanuel I. 
In 1819, Tanadei participated in the Paris Salon where he again exhibited some of his micro carvings and was honored with many awards. 
Tanadei did micro-work until he was about 30 years old, then his vision began to diminish rapidly, which made carving microscopic details too difficult.
 
 weighs - 8.9g
measures - 33mm x 28mm not including bail
European circa 1800