Renaissance Brooches and Renaissance Revival Information.
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Florence in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. Renaissance brooches were predominantly functional items, although they were still extremely decorative.
Renaissance styles and traditions were found in parts of Europe throughout the Roman period and reappeared just before the medieval era. They were often made of bronze but some were also made in gold, silver and iron. Often, they were decorated with red enamel, red coral inlays, cloisonne or champlene enamelling. Some brooches had more than one of these techniques.
A pearl, enamel and ruby ‘renaissance’ buckle/ brooch, by Froment Meurice, circa 1850
The renaissance revival buckle/brooch designed as a depiction of an angel playing a viola surrounded by cherubs in an architectural mount set with black enamel, oval and circular cabochon rubies and pearls, mounted in gold and silver, one cherub deficient, signed Froment Meurice, length 5.2cm.
François-Desire Froment-Meurice was one of the leading French jewellers of the Renaissance revival. His technique of ‘viele argent’ became used across the continent and he was winner of numerous medals for his jewellery. Victor Hugo even penned a poem about him. Sold for £937 at Bonhams
AN ANTIQUE RENAISSANCE REVIVAL MULTI-COLORED SAPPHIRE AND DIAMOND PENDANT BROOCH, BY PAULDING FARNHAM, TIFFANY & CO.
Designed as a scrolling openwork gold and lavender enamel plaque, centering upon a circular-cut pink sapphire within an old-cut diamond surround and set throughout with circular-cut multi-colored sapphires, enhanced by old-cut diamond accents, circa 1900, 2 1/8 ins., mounted in gold
With Tiffany & Co. maker’s mark for Exposition Universelle, Paris, 1900. Sold for USD 125,000 at Christies
Renaissance Revival Gold, Enamel, Gem-Set and Diamond Brooch
The fancy-shaped mount centering one cushion-shaped yellowish brown zircon approximately 15.0 x 11.2 x 7.6 mm., edged and accented by 11 old-mine cut diamonds within floret gold mounts, within an openwork scrolled and leaf motif applied with white enamel dotted with black enamel, highlighted by red enamel scrolls, supporting 4 round yellow topaz spaced by 2 small round cabochon red spinels, joined by one round green sapphire, circa 1870, approximately 14.4 dwt.
Sold for $7,500 at Doyle New York
Cluster Brooch with Letters Spelling “Amor”. Mid 15th Century. This gold cluster jewel includes the Latin word amor (love) in delicate gold letters. It could have been worn either as a pendant or a brooch, and in portraits of young women many similar jewels are seen in their hair or at the shoulder or neck. Expensive jewelry played an important role in betrothal and marriage, and the groom gave brooches to the bride as tokens of love. In 1447, for example, Marco Parenti gave his betrothed, Caterina Strozzi, a golden brooch with two sapphires and three pearls to be worn on her shoulder. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Renaissance-Revival 18 Karat Gold, Natural Pearl, Diamond, Colored Stone and Enamel Pendant-Brooch
Designed as a griffin that has captured a salamander, centered by a natural pearl measuring approximately 14.4 mm, set with old European and rose-cut diamonds weighing approximately 1.30 carats, accented by numerous round and cushion-cut rubies and emeralds, applied with multi-colored enamel, with French assay and maker’s marks, one diamond and one ruby missing; circa 1880. Sold for 30,000 USD at Sothebys
During the Migration period (fourth to eighth centuries AD), many brooches and other jewellery were inlaid with richly coloured stones.
Brooches are probably one of the most common items of jewellery which have been found by archeologists, which is probably due to their functionality as well as decorative purpose.
Renaissance brooches were often worn as cloak-fasteners on both shoulders. Renaissance brooches are also referred to as penannual brooches. They acted as a safety-pin where the pin was secured in a catch-plate at the foot of the brooch and a bow would link the foot and spring.
Renaissance brooches were usually cast in one piece.
There was an enormous revival of interest in Classical and Renaissance art from about 1850. Archaeological discoveries in Greece, Italy and Egypt fuelled the imagination of designers. Renaissance art and architecture of the 15th and 16th centuries, itself inspired by ancient Rome, also had a great influence. Classical and Renaissance pieces were sometimes copied quite closely, but often a variety of forms and motifs were combined or reinterpreted.
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.
