Five designs for brooches with stylized leaves, ribbons and pearls
Five drawings in graphite of designs for brooches, in the style of the French School of the 19th century, designed for the French jewelry company Mellerio-Borgnis. Each drawing was created on a separate sheet of semi-transparent paper, all adhered to the same page of the album. The first design is made up of three bundles of stylized leaves and grapes, one hanging under the other, with an interlacing ribbon above each of them. The second design consists of a bundle of stylized leaves and pearls, framed by two scrolling branches that form a semi-abstract heart motif around the bundle. The third design is made up of a roundel with a scrolling garland of stylized leaves and thin branches with pearls on the upper half, and a small, 8-shaped motif interlacing around the frame on the bottom, holding three round pearls. The fourth design is made up of a thin bundle of stylized leaves and round pearls, and a large, oval pearl, held by a scrolling branch. The final design consists of an escutcheon framed with scrolling motifs, with a crown motif on top, and a fleur-de-lis motif below. The physical jewels from these designs would have likely been manufactured using gold or silver, and probably using brilliants, diamonds, or other (semi-) precious stones to add color and shine to the designs.
Artwork Details
- Title: Five designs for brooches with stylized leaves, ribbons and pearls
- Artist: F. Mellerio Borgnis
- Date: ca. 1830–70
- Medium: Graphite
- Dimensions: Sheet: 11 3/4 × 8 3/8 in. (29.9 × 21.2 cm)
Album: 8 11/16 in. × 12 in. × 1 3/8 in. (22 × 30.5 × 3.5 cm) - Classifications: Albums, Drawings, Ornament & Architecture
- Credit Line: Gift of Raphael Esmerian, 1957
- Object Number: 57.662.4(11)
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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