Crucial Eras Of Modern European Jewellery Styles
Following from my previous History of Jewellery guide series explaining the unique
styles of jewellery that developed across the world at the dawn of civilisation, this article will now explore the evolution of this type of artistry in Europe from the Middle Ages to the more contemporary era of Art Deco.
European Jewellery in the Middle Ages
Moving on from where we left off in my history guide of Europe, the post-Roman period saw jewellery craftsmanship continuing to develop - the Celts who specialised in continuous patterns in their designs and the Merovingians who stood out for their stylised animal figures were particularly notable for their skill. In fact, many jewellery historians say their work matched or exceeded that of the famous Byzantium Empire.
Speaking of which, the Byzantium Empire, which was the Eastern successor of the Roman Empire, continued many of the beautiful jewellery making methods of the Romans, but religious themes were much more predominate. In addition, unlike the Romans, Celts and Franks, Byzantium used light-weight gold leaf instead of solid gold, and more emphasis was placed on stones and gems.
The Renaissance
The fact that the 17th century saw unparallelled exploration and trade was a major contributiong factor to the emergence of the Renaissance era, not least to the development of jewellery in Europe. There was an increased availability of a wide variety of gemstones as well as exposure to the art of other cultures during this time, which greatly inspired artisans. Previously, jewellery makers generally focussed predominantly on precious metals, whereas this period saw the dominant rise of gemstones and their settings.
The crowning of Napoleon as Emperor of the French in 1804 saw a major boost in the opulent jewellery of the Renaissance era - he contributed to a major revival of the grandeur of jewellery and fashion in prosperous France. Thus, under Napoleons rule, jewellers produced stunning creations as a suite of matching jewellery that could typically include a diamond encrusted tiara, earrings, rings, a brooch and a necklace. Napoleon also resurrected the fashion trend of the cameo.
At this time there was also an emergence of the early stages of costume jewellery, such as fish scale covered glass beads in place of pearls or conch shell cameos instead of stone cameos.
The Era of Romanticism
The late 18th century saw the dawning of Romanticism, which had a major impact on the development of Western jewellery. What most significantly contributed to this era was the publics fascination with Medieval and Renaissance art as well as the captivating treasures that were being discovered thanks to the birth of modern archaeology. In addition, changing social conditions and the Industrial Revolution gave rise to an extended Middle Class that could afford beautiful jewellery. As a result of these prevailing interests and the industrial progress, cheaper alloys and stone substitutes could be produced in quantity, which led to a surge in costume jewellery.
Nevertheless, high-end jewellers and goldsmiths continued to flourish, since the wealthy class where conversely keen to ensure that their jewellery stood apart from that of the masses - not only through use of precious metals and stones, but also though superior craftsmanship.
Furthermore, a category of jewellery that was fairly unique to this period in Europe and which corresponded to the ideals of romanticism was mourning jewellery. This originated in England, spurred by Queen Victoria who was often seen wearing jet jewellery after the death of her husband Prince Albert.
Another significant happening which impacts jewellery to this day was that Frances Pierre Cartier founded Cartier SA in 1847, while 1884 saw the founding of Bulgari in Italy. These modern jewellery making studios caused a shift from the tradition of individual craftsmen who produced works for their patrons. This era also saw the creation of the famous Faberg eggs, made by Russian artist Peter Carl Faberg.
Art Nouveau
The Art Nouveau period began in the 1890s. This style was distinguished by sinuous organic lines as the main design feature and an emphasis on colour (most commonly rendered through the use of enamelling techniques). Distinctive motifs included flowers and vines, as well as swans, peacocks, snakes, dragonflies, mythological creatures and the female silhouette.
A French jeweller named Ren Lalique was noted by contemporaries as a leading figure during this period. In England, Liberty & Co. and the Charles Robert Ashbees British Arts & Crafts movement contributed slightly more linear but still characteristic jewellery designs, while in Germany Wiener Werksttte stood out for furthering the style.
The Art Nouveau era was significant in that it shifted jeweller's focus from the setting of stones to the artistic design of the piece itself.
Art Deco
The end of World War I caused public attitudes in Europe to be less frivoulous than the Art Nouveau era. A more sober style developed in jewellery as political tensions and the after-effects of the war saw people turn away from what they perceived as the decadence at the turn of the 20th century. This led to simpler forms of jewellery creations, combined with more effective manufacturing which allowed for the mass production of quality jewellery.
The Art Deco period predominated in the 1920s and 1930s. It was highly influenced by Walter Gropius and the German Bauhaus movement, which advicated the philosophy of "no barriers between artists and craftsmen". This led to some interesting and stylistically clean jewellery designs which also for the first time used modern materials such as plastics and aluminium. In this era, technical mastery was as valued as the material itself.
Conclusion
UK jewellery has been heavily influenced by the above European eras, and they continue to inspire artisans to this day. In fact, the styles which emerged during these different periods have regularly seen resurgences in fashion. Whats more, with the advent of the Internet, you can now find most any kind of jewellery style that strikes your fancy.
by: Julia Littlewood
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