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Brooch
Carlo Giuliano, born 1826 - died 1895 - Enlarge image
Brooch
- Place of origin:
London, England (made)
- Date:
ca. 1865 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Carlo Giuliano, born 1826 - died 1895 (maker)
- Materials and Techniques:
Gold, with filigree and cast decoration, set with mother-of-pearl
- Credit Line:
Given by Carlo and Arthur Giuliano
- Museum number:
166-1900
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, room 122g, case 11
Object Type
This brooch takes its shape from an ancient Greek leather shield. It is decorated with twisted gold wires, with grains of gold, and with two cast lion masks and three cast heads of lionesses.
People
Carlo Giuliano was probably trained in the Castellani workshops in Rome before he accompanied Alessandro Castellani in about 1860 to London, where he established a manufactory at 13 Frith Street, Soho. He supplied a number of the leading retail jewellers in London, and in 1874 opened his own retail premises at 115 Piccadilly. His jewellery was much admired by the Pre-Raphaelite painters and their circle. He made jewels for Sir Edward Poynter (1836-1919) and Sir Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898), and lent a jewel to Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1836-1912).
Giuliano bequeathed jewellery to the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A), but most of the finest pieces were stolen in 1899. His sons Carlo Joseph and Arthur made a further gift in 1900, which included this brooch, and the Museum made a substantial purchase at the same time. The firm closed following the death of Arthur Giuliano in 1914.
Design & Designing
This brooch is in the 'archaeological style': it is inspired by the jewellery of the ancient Greeks and Etruscans which was rediscovered in excavations during the 19th century. Particularly influential was the large quantity of jewellery found in Etruscan tombs excavated near Rome in the 1830s.
