Precious Antique Brooch With Diamonds & Pearls in Silver On Gold, c. 1895

The Art Nouveau style, which conquered the world from the end of the 19th century, wanted to break with old ornaments and find something new. One of the characteristic stylistic elements of this new style was the so-called whiplash ornament: swinging in and out lines that look like flying whips. The nickname came from a wall hanging by Hermann Obrist from 1895, which shows golden embroidered cyclamen on a green-blue ground. It is now in the Munich City Museum, Inv. No. T-49/63, see also our illustration. The brooch here also dates from those years and shows clear similarities in its composition to Obrist's cyclamen ornament. It does not yet correspond to what we would call Art Nouveau today; however, its sense of form already betrays that dynamic spirit of optimism that exhilarated the arts and crafts at that time. Like later designs, this brooch draws the power of its composition entirely from the line. The design, which is not mirror-symmetrical but point-symmetrical, creates the impression of special movement. Shimmering rose cut diamonds and sparkling old mine cut diamonds set the inward and outward sweeping lines. In all, about 1.44 ct of diamonds are set. In the center, two drop-shaped pearls in flower-like settings set the composition. The piece of jewellery is made of silver on reddish gold, as it was customary for high-quality jewellery at that time. The wonderful piece found its way to us here in Berlin. A wearable contemporary witness from the beginning of a particularly exciting era in art history!

Estimate:£2,454.85

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