The altar of love

Sentimental Classicist Brooch With Pearls In Silver & Gold, Circa 1790

€ 2,290.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Sentimental Classicist Brooch With Pearls In Silver & Gold, Circa 1790

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 object, more a work of art than a piece of jewelry, fascinates us with its unusual materials, its unusual technique and its unusual depiction. It transports us to a world long gone that was dedicated to love and friendship. The highly oval brooch presents a delicate arrangement of pearls, gold and mother-of-pearl under glass. Against a background of blue enamel, we look at an Arcadian scene. A palm tree grows high into the sky on the left edge. On the right is an altar adorned with gold. Two doves are frolicking on its upper edge. Another dove approaches from above. It carries a laurel wreath in its beak. On the outside, a row of sparkling, faceted similli stones frames the work. The significance of the depiction is explained by ancient tradition. Since Pliny, turtledoves have been regarded as symbols of eternal, faithful love. They were companions of Venus, the goddess of love, and sacred to her. If they are sitting on an altar here and crowning it with a laurel, then the altar must also be dedicated to the goddess of love: it is an altar of love and friendship. Pieces of jewelry depicting doves were created throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, see here. Pieces of jewelry with the special theme of the altar, in the area of tension between mourning and the sentimental cult of friendship, were particularly fashionable in the last years of the 18th century, see for example this ring from the holdings of the V&A in London. These pieces of jewelry were given as gifts and worn as a pledge of love and friendship. They assured the wearer of the gift giver's everlasting affection and at the same time were a promise of commitment. This brooch was also once a gift of friendship or love that was intended to preserve the sympathy between the giver and the recipient forever. We discovered the work in Munich. Comparison with other pieces allows us to date the brooch to around 1790, see for example the examples illustrated in Ginny Reddington Dawes / Olivia Collings: Georgian Jewellery 1714-1830, Woodbridge 2007, p. 145. It is very likely that the brooch was made in Great Britain or France.

Size & Details

The altar of love

€ 2,290.00 ^*

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.

Learn more

The altar of love

Brooches & Pins

Privacy settings