Fine Rococo Portrait Miniature in a Gold Setting with garnets, ca. 1760 & Later

So Close, Yet So Far

Fine Rococo Portrait Miniature in a Gold Setting with garnets, ca. 1760 & Later

€ 1,590.00 ^*

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!

At the center of this brooch, which we discovered in London, is a delicately painted portrait of a young lady. Her head, turned slightly to one side; her loosely gathered hairstyle with a few strands falling across her forehead; her low-cut, ruffled dress in delicate shades of rose; and the pearl necklace draped closely around her neck all reflect the elegant fashion of the Rococo period. The subdued colour palette, the softly dabbed background, and the powdery rendering of the skin also point to the years shortly after the mid-18th century. Similar portrait miniatures can be found, for example, at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, see here, as well as at the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City, see here. Miniatures such as these were created as mementos or gifts of friendship. Long before the invention of photography, portrait painting was the only medium capable of preserving a person’s presence in a vicarious capacity. The intimate effect of the miniature portrait stems precisely from its small size: Unlike large-format, representational paintings, miniatures were intended for close viewing and a personal perspective. The subject, who is unknown to us today, appears in her portrait not in courtly splendour, but with an idealized naturalness that the Rococo style particularly cultivated. In the second half of the 19th century, the portrait was set in its current form using nine-karat gold and garnets; since the Rococo style went through several phases, it is impossible to say exactly when. Garnets were also used to frame miniatures in the 18th century, though at that time they were mostly cut in table cuts. Here, a simple wreath of deep-red garnets in rose cuts surrounds the miniature. The deep red of the garnets provides a striking contrast to the powdery shades of pink, white, and gray in the painting. The piece of jewellery thus unites two different time periods—transforming a private 18th-century portrait into a nostalgic memento of the Victorian era.

Size & Details

So Close, Yet So Far

€ 1,590.00 ^*

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.

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So Close, Yet So Far

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