The History of Jewelry, Part 4

Romanticism
Starting in the late 18th century, the Romantic movement had a profound impact on the development of western jewelry. The public was fascinated by ancient treasures being discovered through the birth of modern archaeology, and also with Medieval and Renaissance art. Changing social conditions and the start of the Industrial Revolution also led to the growth of a middle class that wanted and could afford jewelry. Driven by this demand, the use of industrial processes, cheaper alloys, and stone substitutes led to the development of the first types of costume jewelry. 


Distinguished goldsmiths continued to flourish, however, as wealthier patrons sought jewelry that stood apart from that of the masses, with precious metals and stones but also superior artistic and technical work. 


It was during this period that a unique new category developed, quite in keeping with the philosophy of romanticism: mourning jewelry. It originated in England, where Queen Victoria was often seen wearing jet jewelry after the death of her beloved husband, Prince Albert. This allowed the wearer to continue wearing jewelry even while in deep mourning for the death of a loved one.



In 1837, Charles Lewis Tiffany formed Tiffany & Co., putting the United States on the jewelry world map and gaining fame for creating dazzling commissions for people such as the wife of President Abraham Lincoln. Later the flagship store in New York would win fame as the setting of the film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” In France, Pierre Cartier founded Cartier SA in 1847, while 1884 saw the founding of Bulgari in Italy. The modern production studio catering to the general public had been born, moving away from the dominance of individual craftsmen and wealthy patronage.


This was also the time of the first major collaboration between East and West: collaboration in Pforzheim between German and Japanese artists lead to Shakudō plaques set into filigree frames being created by the Stoeffler firm in 1885. The summit of the Romantic period in jewelry were the masterpieces of the Russian artist Peter Carl Fabergé, working for the Imperial Russian court, whose Fabergé eggs and jewelry pieces are still considered as the epitome of the goldsmith’s art.

Art Nouveau
In the 1890s, jewelers began to explore the potential of the growing Art Nouveau style and the closely related German Jugendstil and British (and to some extent American) Arts and Crafts Movement.


The many distinct features of Art Nouveau jewelry include a focus on the female form and an emphasis on color, most commonly rendered through the use of enameling techniques including basse-taille, champleve, cloisonné, and plique-à-jour. Popular motifs included orchids, irises, pansies, vines, swans, peacocks, snakes, dragonflies, mythological creatures, and the female silhouette.


A leading figure in this trend was René Lalique, working for the Paris shop of Samuel Bing. German input came from the Darmstadt Artists’ Colony and the Wiener Werkstätte, while in Denmark, Georg Jensen, though best known for his silverware, also contributed significant pieces. In England, Liberty & Co. and the British arts & crafts movement of Charles Robert Ashbee contributed more geometric but still characteristic designs. The new style moved the focus of the jeweler’s art from the setting of stones to the artistic design of the piece itself; Lalique’s dragonfly design is one of the best examples of this. Enamels played a large role in technique, while the most recognizable design feature remaining sinuous organic lines.


Art Deco
With the end of World War I, another change in public attitudes ushered in a more sober style of dress and ornament. In the 1920 and ‘30s, more effective manufacturing techniques for mass production of high-quality jewelry, combined with growing political tensions, the after-effects of the war, and a reaction against the perceived decadence of the turn of the 20th century all led to the popularity of a simpler style of jewelry known as Art Deco. Walter Gropius and the German Bauhaus movement, with their philosophy that there be no barriers between artists and craftsmen, led to new, stylistically simplified forms. Modern materials such as plastics and aluminum were also introduced, and of note are the chromed pendants of Russian-born Bauhaus master Naum Slutzky. Technical mastery became as valued as the material itself; in the west, for example, this period saw the reinvention of granulation by the German Elizabeth Treskow, in which precious metals are decorated with small spheres fused to a base piece.