Three-Dimensional Antique Gold Brooch, c. 1860

A Well-Rounded Affair

Three-Dimensional Antique Gold Brooch, c. 1860

€ 980.00 ^*

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!

Realism, or Naturalism, was a prominent movement in the arts of the mid-19th century. In literature, Émile Zola and Gerhart Hauptmann are representatives of this style; in painting, Courbet and Max Liebermann are among the best-known artists. In the field of jewelry art, works from this movement are somewhat less well-known and are usually grouped under the term “Biedermeier” in German-speaking countries. In fact, Realism in the field of jewellery can be divided into two categories. In the 1840s and 1850s, intricately designed, lifelike flowers, gnarled branches, blossoms made of enamel or finely chased gold sheet, and birds with delicate plumage all in vogue, blurring the line between nature and its imitation. From the middle of the century onward, however, the designs became increasingly subdued and smooth. More frequently than before, we now see knotted ribbons and bows, tabs, ropes threaded through rings, and loops—and even gears and screws rendered in gold. The previously mimetic forms are increasingly giving way to abstract ornaments. This very good-conditioned brooch reflects this later style. It is designed as a round frame that holds a movable sphere at its center. The individual forms are bold, curved, and reflect the light. All parts are polished and made of gold; only the varying angles and a few fluted or matte sections add variation to the play of light. The brooch was embossed from gold sheet metal over steel molds and produced as a small, hollow series in a workshop. This was a common method of the time for creating large, attractive pieces of jewellery. To stabilize it, the brooch is very likely filled with plaster or resin. We discovered the brooch in Hannover.

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For jewellery from this period, see the two richly illustrated volumes by Brigitte Marquardt: Jewellery. Classicism and Biedermeier, 1780–1850, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Munich 1983, as well as Brigitte Marquardt: Jewellery: Realism and Historicism, 1850–1895. Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Munich 1998.

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Size & Details

A Well-Rounded Affair

€ 980.00 ^*

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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A Well-Rounded Affair

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