Meaningful Flower

Georgian Pansy Brooch of Topazes, Amethysts, Rubies and Diamonds, c. 1780

€ 2,190.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Georgian Pansy Brooch of Topazes, Amethysts, Rubies and Diamonds, c. 1780

Description

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

This elegant brooch from the late 18th century immerses us in the graceful world of the Rococo period. We see a bouquet of fragrant flowers, tied together with a large bow. Colorful gemstones form the blossoms. The main focal point is the large flower of a violet. It is formed from yellow topazes and violet amethysts. Based entirely on the natural model, the upper petals are bicolored and made up of two gemstones each! . Smaller flowers on the right and left are set with rubies from Burma. A large, shining topaz occupies the center of the bow, diamonds are set on the ribbons. Green enamel covers the narrow leaves around the violet itself. Flowers and plants were a major theme in the fashion and jewellery of Europe in the second half of the 18th century. Some of the individual flowers had very specific meanings. In French, for example, the violet has the nickname "(herbe de la) pensée", meaning "plant of remembrance" and is therefore regarded by our neighbors as a symbol of loving remembrance. The English term "pansy" is derived from this French "pensée" and so the meaning of the violet manifests itself as a souvenir d'amour. It is also similar in Italian. Here it is called "viola del pensiero", "violet of memory". In the field of jewellery, depictions of violets (in German probably more accurately: of pansies) were very popular in the late 18th century. Ginny Redington Dawes/Olivia Collings' Georgian Jewellery 1714-1830 (Woodbridge 2007) depicts numerous similar pieces of jewelry, on p. 141 also with multicoloured flowers, as in the case of the brooch here. Such a large, well-preserved brooch is nevertheless rare, especially with such a high-quality setting of large gemstones. The closed settings of the gemstones are covered with a polished, originally color-painted silver foil, so that the gemstones once shone even more intensely. This was quite common in the late 18th century and ensured a uniform color, also because gemstones were even more precious than today and it was rare to have completely uniform stones available. Here, the original color setting of the violet amethysts has been slightly lost, so that the tips of the violets appear very bright today. We were able to purchase the brooch here in Berlin. Who would you like to commemorate with it?

Size & Details

Meaningful Flower

€ 2,190.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

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