Designs for Necklaces, Bracelets, Brooches, Earrings, and Other Jewelry of the Second Empire
Lithograph with several designs for jewelry in the style of the Second Empire (1852-1870), characterized by extravagant motifs with complex compositions of naturalistic jewelry, composed of clearly recognizable foliage, flowers and fruit. In many cases, the colors of gemstones used in the creation of the jewels were meant to match those in nature; cabochon gems were popular elements to create complexity in curving and figurative designs, often with symbolic meanings. This plate contains a variety of designs, including a necklace made up of a snake that interlaces around itself and a rope, decorated with diamonds and pearls, two designs for hand fans with stylized flowers and leaves, interlacing ribbons, and love trophies (a pair of loving birds on one, a bow and arrow on the other), a watch chatelaine with stylized flowers and leaves, and c-curves, and several other designs for brooches, bracelets, rings, and earrings, executed with yellow, white, and gray over a black ground, and possibly intended to be manufactured using a combination of yellow gold and silver, possibly platinum, diamonds or brilliants, pearls, and other (semi-) precious stones.
Artwork Details
- Title: Designs for Necklaces, Bracelets, Brooches, Earrings, and Other Jewelry of the Second Empire
- Artist: Anonymous, French, 19th century (?)
- Published in: Leipzig
- Date: ca. 1850–70
- Medium: Lithograph
- Dimensions: Sheet: 17 1/16 × 12 7/16 in. (43.4 × 31.6 cm)
- Classifications: Prints, Ornament & Architecture
- Credit Line: The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1960
- Object Number: 60.701.11
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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Anonymous, French, 19th century
ca. 1850–70
Anonymous, French, 19th century
Pannier Frères
ca. 1900
Anonymous, French, 19th century
late 19th century
Multiple artists/makers
ca. 1849
Multiple artists/makers
ca. 1849
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