Zeitgeist

Antique Locket Pendant with Enamel Miniature in Gold, c. 1875

€ 2,190.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Antique Locket Pendant with Enamel Miniature in Gold, c. 1875

Description

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

Bright yellow gold, a hidden locket compartment, a fringe of gold - in these respects, this piece of jewellery is entirely in keeping with the taste of the 1870s. And yet it has one element that points at another time altogether: the portrait of a lady, painted in enamel, which pays homage to a century that was already past. With flowers in her hair, a gray curly wig that falls loosely over her shoulders and a chiffon collar around her shoulders - the so-called fichu - the portrait harks back to the 1780s. It is reminiscent of the portraits of women created in the circle of French artists such as Marie-Victoire Lemoine or Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun. The loose gowns, the seemingly dissolved hair and the rich floral decorations signaled a new lightness, a first departure from the strict courtly world, from which Marie Antoinette also tried to escape in precisely those years with her artificial village, the Hameau de la Reine. In the late 19th century, amidst the strict bourgeois rules of the time, these ideas may have become topical again. But in any case, contemporaries were fascinated by the past: portraits of ladies in the costume of old times, cut in stone or shell, can be found again and again on the large pendants of the time. Elements of past eras can also be found in clothing fashion. Here, the medallion pendant is mounted on a wide loop that was intended for a velvet ribbon - so it can be worn tightly around the neck, just as the ladies of the 1780s did. Of course, it can also be worn on a strong gold chain. It probably originated in England.

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People in the 19th century repeatedly looked to the past and its rich treasure trove of forms. This resulted in jewellery in the Gothic, Rococo, Renaissance and antique styles. However, as early as 1895, the art historian Julius Lessing stated: "A strict reproduction of existing models is only carried out in the rarest of cases. One changes and mixes according to our needs. [This reveals the element of life, that which later periods will recognize as the actual style of our time." Lessing showed foresight, because pieces of jewelry like this one are based on the past - and yet they could not have been created in any other time than their own.

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Size & Details

Zeitgeist

€ 2,190.00 ^*

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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