Victorian Gothic

Rare Neo-Gothic Pendant-Brooch with Boulder Opals in Gold, c. 1900

€ 4,980.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Rare Neo-Gothic Pendant-Brooch with Boulder Opals in Gold, c. 1900

Description

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

Two gargoyles with bat ears open their mouths to devour a large, shimmering opal. Acanthus leaves sprout above their heads and a rose window rises above them. The scene, with its many references to the Gothic style of the European Middle Ages, is executed in matte gold. Cabochons of boulder opals, opals that incorporate segments of the so-called matrix, enrich the design. According to its design, materiality and make, this rare piece was created around 1900. Once again, it shows that jewellery, just like clothing fashion, does not follow arbitrary whims - but that, like fine art and literature, it is also an expression of the spirit of the times. The first Gothic Revival had already taken place in the early 19th century in the wake of Romanticism; at the end of the century, elements of Romanticism and Gothic art reappeared in the arts. The important art historian Erwin Panofsky saw in this revival of the Gothic, a deeply religious epoch, a longing for times that had irrevocably passed and were transfigured in retrospect. It was a final rebellion against the rapidly and restlessly advancing sobriety of modernity, industrialization and science. Another expression of the spirit of the times can also be found in the use of boulder opals. Just a few years earlier, unusual gemstones such as these had hardly been considered worthy of high-quality jewellery. Towards the end of the 19th century, however, an abundance of conventional diamond jewellery led to a demand for more artistic designs that took greater account of the aesthetic rather than monetary value of the gemstones. In 1888, under the heading "Aesthetic Jewels" in the Journal of Goldsmiths' Art, one read: "They have been completely neglected up to now because their beauty was not known, and only recently has the value of moonstones, hyacinths, zircons and tourmalines begun to be appreciated and their popularity is now growing every year." The large piece of jewellery with its Gothic-inspired design and unusual opals is very well preserved. We have replaced the two outer opal drops with their gold settings, as they had been lost over time. The brooch on the back can be unscrewed; the pendant bail can be folded in. The piece is not signed, but is reminiscent of French works of this period. Quote from Loraine Pearce Bucklin: "Aesthetic Jewels", Journal of the Goldsmith's Art 8 (1888), pp. 21-22 (here p. 22)

Size & Details

Victorian Gothic

€ 4,980.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

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Victorian Gothic

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