Joaillerie: Album of Jewelry Designs, Page 1

First 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 medallion, an aigrette, two brooches, and a case watch, all 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 medallion consists of an oval motif with shades to indicate volume, framed by a garland of small leaves and fruit motifs. The aigrette contains a large feather two stylized palm leaves, and three stems with flowers and leaves held together by a ribbon bow. One of the two brooches contains a naturalistic motif made up of small flowers and branches of leaves adorned by an interlacing string of pearls; the other is made up of a ribbon that is tied to form a rosette, and the other is a U-shaped motif designed to look like its surface was achieved by interlacing a ribbon around the shape. The case watch contains a naturalistic motif consisting of a thin garland of leaves and a ribbon that interlaces around it.
The designs in this drawing are copied from plates number 4, 10 and 12 of the album of engravings by Van der Cruycen. Plate no. 4 contains the designs for the medallion and the aigrette, plate no. 10 has the designs for the two brooches, and plate no. 12 has the design for the case watch.