Cross
1800-1867 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Italian women have always loved lavish display. Even for the poorest, an impressive show of jewellery was all important. Like Catholic women elsewhere in southern Europe they often wore elaborate crosses as jewellery.
Red was the most popular colour in traditional jewellery throughout Italy. In the northern and central regions the jewellers usually decorated their crosses with garnets, as here, often mixed with pearls. This cross, which comes from Genoa, has white pastes, which were much less common, and may reflect Genoa's international outlook.
It was bought for 16 shillings as part of the Castellani collection of Italian Peasant Jewellery at the International Exhibition, Paris, 1867.
Red was the most popular colour in traditional jewellery throughout Italy. In the northern and central regions the jewellers usually decorated their crosses with garnets, as here, often mixed with pearls. This cross, which comes from Genoa, has white pastes, which were much less common, and may reflect Genoa's international outlook.
It was bought for 16 shillings as part of the Castellani collection of Italian Peasant Jewellery at the International Exhibition, Paris, 1867.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Gold set with garnets and white pastes |
| Brief description | Gold cross set with garnets and white pastes, Genoa (Italy), 1800-1867. |
| Physical description | Pendant cross of pierced gold hanging from a matching plaque with a loop on its back for suspension. Both pieces are set with flat-cut garnets and white pastes in closed settings. |
| Dimensions |
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| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Italian women have always loved lavish display. Even for the poorest, an impressive show of jewellery was all important. Like Catholic women elsewhere in southern Europe they often wore elaborate crosses as jewellery. Red was the most popular colour in traditional jewellery throughout Italy. In the northern and central regions the jewellers usually decorated their crosses with garnets, as here, often mixed with pearls. This cross, which comes from Genoa, has white pastes, which were much less common, and may reflect Genoa's international outlook. It was bought for 16 shillings as part of the Castellani collection of Italian Peasant Jewellery at the International Exhibition, Paris, 1867. |
| Bibliographic reference | 'Italian Jewellery as worn by the Peasants of Italy', Arundel Society, London, 1868, Plate 1 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 425-1868 |
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| Record created | October 31, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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