Enchanting Antique Locket with Enamel Painting on Gold, c. 1890

Yesterday, at the Hameau de la Reine

Enchanting Antique Locket with Enamel Painting on Gold, c. 1890

€ 1,290.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

The Rococo—the courtly world of elegance, lightness, and refined luxury—radiated from France throughout Europe, and not only in the 18th century. Even after the end of the Ancien Régime, its stylistic language remained alive and experienced repeated revivals in the 19th century in the wake of Historicism. The revival of this style, often referred to as Neo-Rococo, began around the 1830s and remained of great significance well into the second half of the century. Particularly during the Second Empire under Napoleon III, a pronounced preference for elegant, fluid ornamentation developed, which quickly spread throughout Europe. The pendant presented here is a fine example of the revival of the Rococo style in the late 19th century. The round locket is crafted from gold; its front cover is adorned all around with three-dimensional leaf scrolls and rocaille motifs. At the center is a graceful enamel painting: in the pastel color palette of the Rococo, a young lady appears in typical 18th-century attire, wearing a tall, powdered wig adorned with small pearl jewellery. According to the hallmark, the piece of jewellery was imported to Prague between 1872 and 1902. It was most likely created around 1890. The restored loop and a matching, modern gold chain make the locket ready to wear again today. Inside, the locket features small glass-covered frames that hold two photographs, thus combining its historicist form with the modern visual culture of the 19th century.

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In the 19th century, the fascination with the Rococo was not limited to individual works of art but also shaped the ceremonial rooms of the court. Toward the end of the 19th century, for example, the living quarters of Empress Elisabeth and Emperor Franz Joseph in the Hofburg in Vienna were furnished in the Rococo style; a similar apartment was also created for the empress in Venice. Through this return to historicism, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was able to symbolically present itself as a new realm of courtly splendor, deliberately drawing on the glorious culture of the French court and thus indirectly on the legacy of the Sun King.

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Size & Details

Yesterday, at the Hameau de la Reine

€ 1,290.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.

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Yesterday, at the Hameau de la Reine

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