Sacred Symmetry: Baroque's Aged Cross

An exquisite Belgian Baroque-style pendant, circa 1700, manifests Christianity's influence through its enduring cross motif. Crafted from a harmonious blend of silver atop an 18K yellow gold backing, a technique to enhance the diamonds' allure, the piece is adorned with 18 rose cut diamonds. A tangible echo of the era's artistic fervour, it captures the Baroque's dynamism and rich ornamentation, mirroring a period where art was characterised by vigorous movement and exuberant forms.

Antique jewelry object group: pendant

Condition: very good condition
  -  (more info on our condition scale)

Country of origin: Although it does not carry any legible control marks we believe this to be of Belgian origin.

Style: Baroque - Baroque is an artistic style prevalent from the late 16th century to the early 18th century in Europe. It is most often defined as "the dominant style of art in Europe between the Mannerist and Rococo eras, a style characterized by dynamic movement, overt emotion and self-confident rhetoric".
  -  See also: Baroque or more info on styles

Style specifics: Baroque is a style in art and decoration that developed shortly before 1600 and remained current in Europe until the emergence of the Rococo style c.1730. It was started in Italy, and spread to Germany, Austria, the Low Countries, and Spain and Portugal, with only a somewhat severely classical version being popular in France under Louis XIV. The style was a development of the Renaissance style and is characterized by lively, curved, and exuberant forms, by vigorous movement, and by rich ornament, based on classical sources, being symmetrical as distinguished from the asymmetry of the following Rococo style.

Period: ca. 1700
  -  (events & facts of this era, poetry of this era, fashion of this era)

Source of inspiration: Christianity

Theme: Cross - The cross is one of the most ancient human symbols, and is used by many religions, such as Christianity. It is frequently a representation of the division of the world into four elements (or cardinal points), or alternately as the union of the concepts of divinity, the vertical line, and the world, the horizontal line. (from: Wikipedia)

Material: Silver on top and backed with 18K yellow gold (see explanation on silver on gold).
  -  (more info on precious metals)

Technique: The rose cuts are set on foil. This is a special technique that was used to bring the lustre of the diamonds to its best quality.

Diamond(s): 18 rose cut diamonds. We do not have the weight of the diamonds which is normal in our trade when it comes to rose cuts.

Birthstones: Diamond is the birthstone (or month stone) for April.
  -  (more info on birthstones)

Hallmarks: No trace.
  -  (more info on hallmarks)

Dimensions: 5,52 cm (2,17 inch) x 2,76 cm (1,09 inch)

Weight: 10,70 gram (6,88 dwt)

Reference Nº: 19127-0067

Copyright photography: Adin, fine antique jewelry

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