Jewelry And Renaissance-00-6466

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RENAISSANCE TO REVOLUTION
Renaissance
Jewelry of the Renaissance period was influenced by the renewed interest in the culture and arts of ancient Greece and Rome. Classical architecture provided inspiration, with decorative motifs used in jewelry designs of die time. Historica! and mythological subjects provided sources for figural pieces, and themes from nature contin-ued to gain popularity, particularly the exotic animals of newly discovered lands. However, Christian imagery remained current, and in addition to biblical scènes other symbols, includ¬ing animals, were utilized to represent Christian virtues. The most dramatic religious pieces were memento mori jewels, which displayed symbols of deadi to remind people of their mortality and encourage virtuous living. Maritime exploration inspired jewels shaped as galleons, sea monsters, mermaids and mermen.
Voyages sponsored by the Spanish and Portuguese at the end of the fifteenth century greatly affected the trade of gemstones and the quantity of precious metals available for [fashion jewelry] manufacture. Henry ...
... VIII introduced the Tudor passion for jewelry and had the greatest treasury of jewelry ever possessed by an English king. Popular Tudor motifs were the monogram device and the knot, which was elaborated to include jewels. The birth of the concept of'crown jewels' occurred in the Renaissance, with the French King Francis I making a distinction between the personal jewelry of a royal family and pieces that were to become heirlooms of the monarchy. Other monarchs soon followed suit.
Renaissance jewelry is characterized by vivid colour — enamelled gold and precious stones. Cameos and intaglios continued to remain popular and gem engraving reached new heights and became a highly regarded European art form. Jewels of the period are particularly dif-ficult to distinguish by region.
The Thirty Years' War is perhaps the reason for the loss of much Renaissance jewelry. The nations involved, including the jewelry capitals of France, the Netherlands, Italy and England used any resources they could to further their respective causes.

Baroque

The change of fashion in the seventeenth century to flowing silk fabrics meant that as the stiff tight costumes of the late Renaissance became outmoded, so too did the great display of formal ceremonial Jewelry. A softer style emerged, with pearls becoming increasingly popular, even being artificially produced to satisfy the demand. Botany, in particular flowers, was a characteristic motif, as was the bow, which derived from the ribbons used in the Renaissance to secure [fashion jewelry] to garments. These were arranged symmetrically with emphasis on massed gemstones. While goldwork receded to provide merely a framework or setting for stones, new enamel techniques emerged, in particular painted enamels, which lent themselves to the naturalistic depiction of botanical themes and the softer style.
Mementi mori continued to remain current, encouraged by wars and plague. However, they began to commemorate the death of particular individuals. English Jewelry in the mid-seven-teenth century was much affected by the Civil War and Puritanism. Much commemorative jewelry (worn secretly or discreetly) was made following the execution of Charles I in 1649. Jewelry attracted Puritan hostility and even wedding rings were scorned, although they con¬tinued to be worn, defïantly ranging in style from plain gold bands to enamelled and gem-set.
Eighteenth century
This century saw the rise of the gemstone and the
beeinnina of distinctions berween daytime and
O O J
evening jewelry. The newly established middle class took their entertainment in the evening and so the demand increased for jewelry that was effective in artificial light. The chatelaine, a decorative belt-hook or clasp worn at the waist with a series of chains suspended and mounted with useful household accessories such as scis-sors, thimble, watch, keys and so on, became a widespread and important daytime jewelry item for women. The foiling of stones (placing a foil backing on a stone to enhance its sparkle) was an innovative development. The emergence of the Rococo style and its flowing naturalism also influenced jewelry, with asymmetrical [fashion jewelry] bouquets, curving lines, leaves and feathers.

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