RADIANCE: The Golden Age of European Antique Jewelery
Curator
Xie Xiaodong
2024.08.22 – 2024.09.28
These gems have life in them: their colors speak, say what words fail of.
—— George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans)
—— George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans)
On December 2, 1804, the coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte as emperor took place at Notre-Dame de Paris. At the age of 35, this European conqueror chose not to receive the crown from Pope Pius VII. Instead, he took the initiative to place the crown upon his head, subsequently crowning Empress Joséphine himself.
This moment was immortalized by the famous French painter Jacques-Louis David in his masterpiece The Coronation of Napoleon. The painting depicts the grandeur of the historical event. Moreover, it showcases the neoclassical jewelry adorned by Napoleon and Joséphine, which is equally brilliant.
In either the history of European jewelry or the political and social history, this moment holds great symbolic significance. The arrival of the Napoleonic era accelerated the development of capitalism in Europe, ushering in a brilliant golden age for the European jewelry industry.
Over the 19th century, European civilization reached unprecedented heights, after which it enlightened the world with great achievements. In this century, jewelry, art, architecture, and fashion all reflected the grand imagination and creativity of refined taste in the European civilization.
Against the backdrop of various dynamic artistic movements including Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Symbolism, and Art Nouveau, successive generations of master jewelers and exceptional works of art emerged, leading to the creation of renowned modern jewelry brands we know today.
‘RADIANCE: The Golden Age of European Antique Jewelry’ carefully curates over tens of exquisite pieces of Western antique jewelry art, focusing on the trends and transformations of 19th-century European antique jewelry. It aims to provide the audience with a concise understanding of the artistic origins and important styles in the golden age of Western jewelry
These antique jewelry pieces, embodying the genius creativity and crafts of numerous master jewelers, are genuine works of art that can rival the paintings and sculptures of their era. These exquisite creations witnessed the evolving aesthetics of different times and societies, signifying an ongoing exploration of jewelry as an art form. This is the essential reason they remain dazzling and captivating to this day.
This moment was immortalized by the famous French painter Jacques-Louis David in his masterpiece The Coronation of Napoleon. The painting depicts the grandeur of the historical event. Moreover, it showcases the neoclassical jewelry adorned by Napoleon and Joséphine, which is equally brilliant.
In either the history of European jewelry or the political and social history, this moment holds great symbolic significance. The arrival of the Napoleonic era accelerated the development of capitalism in Europe, ushering in a brilliant golden age for the European jewelry industry.
Over the 19th century, European civilization reached unprecedented heights, after which it enlightened the world with great achievements. In this century, jewelry, art, architecture, and fashion all reflected the grand imagination and creativity of refined taste in the European civilization.
Against the backdrop of various dynamic artistic movements including Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Symbolism, and Art Nouveau, successive generations of master jewelers and exceptional works of art emerged, leading to the creation of renowned modern jewelry brands we know today.
‘RADIANCE: The Golden Age of European Antique Jewelry’ carefully curates over tens of exquisite pieces of Western antique jewelry art, focusing on the trends and transformations of 19th-century European antique jewelry. It aims to provide the audience with a concise understanding of the artistic origins and important styles in the golden age of Western jewelry
These antique jewelry pieces, embodying the genius creativity and crafts of numerous master jewelers, are genuine works of art that can rival the paintings and sculptures of their era. These exquisite creations witnessed the evolving aesthetics of different times and societies, signifying an ongoing exploration of jewelry as an art form. This is the essential reason they remain dazzling and captivating to this day.