Eternal Life

High Quality Brooch in Archaeological Style with Scarab in Gold, c. 1875

€ 3,290.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

High Quality Brooch in Archaeological Style with Scarab 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!

In ancient Egypt, the scarab was seen as a symbol of resurrection and life and was worn as a lucky charm. When jewellery in the taste of antiquity became fashionable in the 19th century in the wake of historicism, designs in the Egyptian style also emerged. Scarabs in particular, as the Egyptian symbol par excellence, were now chosen in large numbers as the focal point of precious designs. This brooch from this period sets a scarab carved from carnelian in an elegant setting of high-carat gold. The design adds outstretched wings to the beetle, which are richly inlaid with the finest gold wires and beads. This technique, known as "granulation", is a technical tour de force, as all the work melts so easily if it is heated for just a moment too long: and hours and hours of painstaking work are gone. In Italy, the Castellani family of goldsmiths in Rome first developed this technique to new heights, after it had been in use in antiquity and fallen into oblivion in the Middle Ages. After other goldsmiths adopted this technique, first in Rome and later throughout Europe, it became the hallmark of jewellery in this particular variety of historicism. The scarab of this brooch shows an athlete on its reverse, next to a probably Greek signature "IAΓΓΓE" (?). Whether this is an ancient Greek scarab or a high-quality 19th century recreation has not yet been clarified beyond doubt. However, this makes no difference to the beauty and history of the brooch: either way, contemporaries probably saw the carved beetle primarily as a reference to the ancient, lost empire of the pharaohs and their hope for eternal life.

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In jewelry design, some motifs, styles and themes have such a lasting influence that they are taken up again by jewelers and goldsmiths centuries or even millennia later. This is particularly true of the revival of ancient Egyptian motifs in the so-called Egyptian Revival. After Napoleon's failed Egyptian campaign in 1798, the forms of art from the pharaonic empire spread throughout Europe and beyond. The next wave of revival was mainly shown at the world exhibitions in London and Paris in the second half of the 19th century. The last significant surge of influence came in the Art Deco era, when the spectacular treasures from the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun thrilled the astonished world public in 1922. But even over the years, the land on the Nile lost none of its fascination.

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Size & Details

Eternal Life

€ 3,290.00 ^*

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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Eternal Life

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