Tag: Portraits

The Collector

Eye miniautre pendant.

A collector’s passion can be driven by the simplest things. There’s the sheer joy and thrill of finding an object that mystifies the inner self and demands the attention to spark an element of joy and makes one want to chase that thrill again and again. For others, there’s the need for accumulation and gathering… Continue reading The Collector

Mourning Jewels: How They Were Worn, Part 2

c.1861 Photograph of Princess Alice, standing while resting her left elbow on some books piled on a console table with a mirror reflecting the left side of her head and her left hand. Princess Alice became engaged to Prince Louis of Hesse on 30 November 1860; their marriage took place in July 1862, having been postponed because of the death of the Prince Consort in December 1861. The Princess is wearing mourning in this photograph for her grandmother, the Duchess of Kent, who had died four months previously. Provenance Acquired by Queen Victoria

The wearing of 18th century mourning jewellery set the template for numerous revivals through to the 20th century. The 19th century was the catalyst to popularise the mourning industry so much so that it created its own industry and became a part of popular fashion. Much of our modern understanding of Western religious and social ceremony comes from these periods, expanding… Continue reading Mourning Jewels: How They Were Worn, Part 2