Necklace thumbnail 1
Necklace thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Necklace

ca. 1790-1805 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

There would originally have been a central pendant.

A love of nature was one of the most universal and respected sentiments in the 19th century. Naturalistic jewellery, influenced by the Romantic movement and the revived Rococo style, developed early in the period. Its success was due to the beauty and wearability of jewelled flowers and foliage, but also to the continuing interest in botany.

Until around 1830 the designs were stylised and delicate. Later, the ever-more precise copies of flowers, leaves, fruit and insects formed extravagant, colourful and complex compositions. Often the ornament included roses, lilies, chrysanthemums and fuchsias, the most fashionable flowers at the time


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Rock crystal set in silver and gold
Brief description
Necklace of brilliant-cut rock crystals set in silver backed with gold, with leaf and bud pendants, France, about1790-1805
Physical description
Necklace of brilliant-cut rock crystals set in silver, backed with gold and decorated with leaf and bud pendants; central pendant missing.
Dimensions
  • Depth: 0.4cm
  • Diameter: 16.1cm
Credit line
Given by Dame Joan Evans
Subjects depicted
Summary
There would originally have been a central pendant.

A love of nature was one of the most universal and respected sentiments in the 19th century. Naturalistic jewellery, influenced by the Romantic movement and the revived Rococo style, developed early in the period. Its success was due to the beauty and wearability of jewelled flowers and foliage, but also to the continuing interest in botany.

Until around 1830 the designs were stylised and delicate. Later, the ever-more precise copies of flowers, leaves, fruit and insects formed extravagant, colourful and complex compositions. Often the ornament included roses, lilies, chrysanthemums and fuchsias, the most fashionable flowers at the time
Bibliographic reference
Shirley Bury, Jewellery 1789-1910, The International Era, Vol. 1. p.51, plate 15
Collection
Accession number
M.63-1962

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJuly 26, 2005
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest