Past Is Present: Revival Jewellery

by Bruna Harrison February 15, 2017

Bocca Baciata (Lips That Have Been Kissed), 1859, by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Oil on panel
Gift of James LawrencePhoto: © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Past Is Present: Revival Jewellery

Exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts - Boston

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) is currently showing Past Is Present: Revival Jewelry, a new exhibition filled with treasures guaranteed to make the heart flutter. The show features pieces from the museums vast collection, as well as important loans, notably from Cartier. It is, in my humble opinion, a must-see for the Renaissance- and bauble-loving Gucci designer Alessandro Michele.

Wondering what revival jewellery is, exactly? The simple answer is that its inspired by, and makes direct reference to, the often ancient and much-idealised past.

Besides the craftsmanship of these pieces, whats most compelling about their design is how, the press materials read, it highlights the tension between progress and the desire to engage with the past, in both traditional and unexpected ways. Emily Stoehrer, the Rita J. Kaplan and Susan B. Kaplan curator of jewellery, affirmed that ideological similarities can be drawn between the mid-19th century, when this style of jewellery was at the height of its popularity, and today. The exhibition focuses on four types—archaeological, Classical, Egyptian, and Renaissance.

Nationalism, for example, was a hot topic as, the curator explains, many European countries were establishing their modern borders. In Italy, as the country fought for unification, the jeweller Castellani was referencing the splendour of ancient Rome, placing his work within a historical context, and a civic one, too, reminding us, says Stoehrer, that artists have a voice.

So besides being a jaw-dropping and glittering display of finely crafted jewels, Past Is Present: Revival Jewellery also serves as a reminder, in its curators words, that the wearing of jewellery, because its so public, can be political, as well. (Original copy via VOGUE.COM)

Ernesto Pierret, Etruscan Revival Bracelet, Italian, c. 1860

Scarab brooch, 1924, by Cartier
Gold, platinum, faience, diamonds, emeralds, smoky quartz and enamel
Vincent Wulveryck, Cartier CollectionPhoto: © Cartier / Courtesy, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Necklace with Coins of Heracles, 1980s, by Bulgari
18kt gold and ancient coins
William Francis Warden Fund and Morris and Louise Rosenthal FundPhoto: © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Take a look at Harlequin Market's Curated Collection of Vintage Revival Costume Jewellery.

VIEW OUR FULL COLLECTION OF VINTAGE REVIVAL COSTUME JEWELLERY HERE

Inspired by this incredible exhibition, we have put together a catalogue of our Vintage Revival Costume Jewellery for your viewing pleasure. Please feel free to contact us by phone +61(2) 9328 5430 or email info@harlequinmarket.com to discuss any of the following pieces in detail or to request more images.

Enjoy!