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Hair Ornament

ca. 1820 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The hair ornament is made of a spray of leaves and fuchsias.

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

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Diamonds, silver and gold
Brief description
Part of hair ornament, brilliant-cut diamonds open-set in silver, Western Europe, about 1820
Physical description
Part of hair ornament, brilliant-cut diamonds open-set in silver, backed with gold.
Dimensions
  • Height: 10.1cm
  • Width: 14.5cm
  • Depth: 4.5cm
The hair ornament was measured as previously displayed.
Credit line
Cory Bequest
Summary
The hair ornament is made of a spray of leaves and fuchsias.

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.
Collection
Accession number
M.116-1951

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Record createdAugust 4, 2005
Record URL
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