Joaillerie: Album of Jewelry Designs, Page 6

Sixth page of a small album containing drawings with jewelry designs copied after the prints by L. van der Cruycen, "Nouveau Livre de Desseins..." (New Book of Designs...), published in Paris in 1770. The designs in this page are for a large bouquet brooch and a girandole earring, both of them characteristic of the style in vogue during the reign of Louis XVI in France, displaying a serendipitous flavor, with asymmetrical forms, "rocaille" and stylized natural motifs, and heavily decorated with flowers, ribbons and tassels, thus representing the taste of the Rococo style, which was fashionable in France and Europe during the eighteenth century. The elaborately carved forms presented in the designs were particularly sought after during the third quarter of the eighteenth century, and were to be accomplished by skilled artisans who would work out the decorations by hand.
The design for a bouquet brooch contains two feathers and several branches with leaves and flowers of different sizes, as well as a large flower, possibly resembling a camelia, tied together by a ribbon that forms a bowknot on the bottom right of the design. This impressive brooch could have been worn to decorate the body or used as an ostentatious accessory for the hair.
The design for a girandole earring, which was highly fashionable during the eighteenth century and could be made out with fine metals and precious or semi-precious stones, contains a plain roundel and three hanging teardrop motifs, without any decorations framing them. The middle area has a naturalistic motif with a bouquet of stylized flowers, leaves and fruits that rests over a small basket.
The designs in this drawing are copies after plates number 2 and 3 of the album of engravings by Van der Cruycen. Plate no. 2 has the design for a bouquet brooch and plate no. 3 has the design for a girandole earring.