Rosary, German, ca. 1500–1525. Ivory, silver, and partially gilded mounts. Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917, 17.190.306. © 2000–2017 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Overall: 24 11/16 x 2 1/8 x 1 3/4 in. (62.7 x 5.4 x 4.5 cm) Top Terminal: 1 5/8 x 1 5/16 x 1 1/2 in. (4.2 x 3.4 x 3.8 cm) 2nd bead: 2 1/16 x 1 11/16 x 1 in. (5.2 x 4.3 x 2.6 cm) 3rd bead: 2 3/16 x 1 7/8 x 11/16 in. (5.6 x 4.7 x 1.7 cm) 4th bead: 2 5/16 x 1 15/16 x 1 in. (5.8 x 4.9 x 2.6 cm) 5th bead: 2 9/16 x 2 x 1 1/16 in. (6.5 x 5.1 x 2.7 cm) 6th bead: 2 1/2 x 1 13/16 x 7/8 in. (6.3 x 4.6 x 2.2 cm) 7th bead: 2 3/4 x 2 1/8 x 1 in. (7 x 5.4 x 2.5 cm) Bottom Terminal: 2 1/16 x 1 7/16 x 1 15/16 in. (5.2 x 3.6 x 5 cm)

Rendered in virtuoso detail, these rosary beads juxtapose images of life and death. The inscriptions on two beads of the ivory chain combine to say, "Remember death/This is what you will be." The boxwood bead opens to reveal Death appearing unannounced at a meal beneath an image of the Last Judgment in the upper hemisphere. The Latin inscription reads, "Stay awake, for you do not know at which hour your Lord will come" (Matthew 24:42).