The depiction of animals in art goes back to prehistoric cave paintings, and the early history of jewelry, from ancient Egyptian scarabs to Renaissance pendants, shows many examples of animal imagery.
Among early civilizations, likenesses of animals were worn for a variety of mystical reasons but it was not until the Celtic era and then the great flowering of the Renaissance that the taste for jewelry bearing the forms of animals in enamels or pearls became widespread.
In the nineteenth century there was a revival of Egyptian and Etruscan styles, in which animals of all sorts were incorporated: birds, mammals, insects, reptiles and fish. The discovery of Japanese crafts also had an effect on the design of jewelry. Prominent houses such as Fouquet, Fontenay, Falize, Fabergé and Tiffany & Co. all produced a spectacular array of animal jewels, which are much prized today.
Design developments from Art Nouveau, Art Deco and onwards contributed impressive animal jewelry – from Lalique’s intricate insects to Cartier’s panthers, from Boucheron and Van Cleef & Arpels to the sophisticated imagery of Verdura.
Lovers of jewelry will be intrigued by these examples of a demanding art; and the book will also appeal to today’s designers and all dealers in fine jewelry.
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