What secrets are hidden by ladies' jewelry on the canvases of great artists

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

If any fashionista knows that accessories, and in particular jewelry, make an image complete and complete, and often it is thanks to them that a mood is created and a special charm is introduced, then why should the great creators not have been aware of this? Jewelry on the canvases of artists appeared for a reason, like many others, they were used to highlight accents, clarify details, complete the image and emphasize status.

Jan Vermeer and his love of pearls

One of the most famous paintings by the Dutch artist, "Girl with a Pearl Earring", hides a secret, over which the best art critics still struggle. The main question is who is depicted on the canvas. There are several versions, but they all do not hold water. According to one of them, the artist painted his daughter Maria, but at the time of writing the picture she was only 12, and the girl in the picture is clearly larger. Due to the age discrepancy, another version is also rejected - Vermeer's wife, by this time she was clearly older.

But that's not all, the size of a pearl is too hypertrophied, a stone of this size is not found in nature. Does it turn out that the artist put a non-existent decoration in the title of the painting? However, giant pearls are still known to science, the largest, for example, weighs more than 6 kg. Therefore, theoretically, such a size of pearls is quite possible, however, their price will be fabulous.

That is why the version was born that the painting depicts a family heirloom, since a similar decoration is found on some of the artist's canvases: "Girl with a Pearl Necklace" and "Lady Writing a Letter". The women in these pictures wear very similar earrings - large, round and with a sheen.

Another version, explaining the size of the pearl, says that the name of the painting was changed after a careless restoration (one of the first), since now the pearl really has a metallic sheen. It is not excluded that the picture began to be called that after some kind of inventory on duty, since the round decoration is the first thing that caught the eye of the checking clerk, who in a hurry gave it a name.

Ilya Repin "Black Woman"

This picture became known relatively recently, although earlier in its assessment art critics were extremely careful in their statements, now it is honored with special praise as a triumph of femininity, exoticism and love for detail. Soviet journalism has repeatedly stressed that "the work is not of artistic interest."

At first glance, modern viewers catch the humanism and special humanity of this work, the woman with an exotic appearance in this picture is so subtly and in detail described. Even in how meticulously the decorations are conveyed, one can read the author's attitude to the model and her image. Massive gold items, emphatically stylized and as unusual as their owner, demonstrate her spirituality and intellectuality. Judging by the jewelry, a girl from a wealthy class or a concubine, but who exactly is depicted in the picture is not known for certain.

Nicholas Hilliard "Portrait with a Pelican"

The famous English artist was also a recognized jeweler, it is not surprising that in his paintings the decorations are drawn with special love and care. Sometimes even such that they overshadowed the crowned heads with their splendor. The name "Portrait with a Pelican" was stuck behind the portrait of Elizabeth I for a reason. The Queen of England is depicted on it in a dress embroidered with pearls and with a pelican pendant.

The pelican is a symbol of femininity and dedication, in the case of the queen, also devotion to her subjects. In addition to the pelican, there is also a ring, which is also accentuated and of course a crown, also with pearls and precious stones. Simply put, everything has been done so that the viewer does not have the slightest doubt - in front of him is a crowned person. Hilliard painted many portraits for the queen and had her favor and even played a prominent role in political matters.

William Paxton "String of Pearls"

The famous American portrait painter, on one of his most widely replicated canvases, depicted what makes any woman's heart warm. A pretty young girl is sorting through the jewelry box, clearly enjoying the process, the jewelry and herself. She has already put on some of the jewelry - there are already pearl threads on her arms and neck, and she holds another necklace, also made of pearls, in her hand and indescribably admires it. Other jewelry with multi-colored stones still rests on her lap.

Youth and idleness, the ease with which a woman lifts the necklace, at the same time emphasizes that the main thing in what is happening is the carefree joy of a young beauty, for the sake of which it is not a pity to put all the riches of the world on her knees, if only her eyes would continue to light up the same fire.

Pearls were portrayed as a symbol of piety, innocence and standard, not everyone could wear it, but only noble people. Therefore, the appearance of even a small string of pearls in the portrait is an ode to the heroine's merits. That is why the artists did not skimp on pearl threads and embroidery by them.

Boris Kustodiev "The merchant's wife at tea"

Did the artist know, creating his masterpiece, that he would inadvertently create his own type of women, to match Rubens? The Kustodian puffy beauties, ironically called just such, are also mockingly depicted on his canvases. The longer you look at the merchant's wife, who manly protrudes her finger, the more you understand that everything in this picture is in harmony. In abundant harmony. Fruit and pastries, tea and watermelon, silk and lace, and even the snow-white and burly shoulders of the merchant herself.

The lace on the chest is held together by a painted brooch, large enough to see its pattern. It depicts flowers. In the ears of the heroine massive earrings, not at all in harmony in color, but perfectly fitting into the image of "expensive and rich".

Zinaida Serebryakova “At the toilet. Self-portrait"

The picture is striking in its sincerity and even intimacy, because the artist depicted on it a very mysterious moment for any woman - the guidance of the morning marathon. And she herself at this moment is so touchingly young, feminine and slightly naive. At the same time, her eyes glow with joy, as happens only in women who are sincerely satisfied with their charm. The artist herself explained the desire to paint a self-portrait in this way by the desire to depict various trifles on the dressing table. It really has a lot of cute feminine things, and the artist's hand is adorned with a wide shiny bracelet. Not entirely appropriate for the morning time, perhaps its presence is precisely due to the playful mood of the hostess, which permeates the whole atmosphere of the picture.

Alphonse Mucha cycle of paintings "Precious stones"

A modernist artist, he became known to the audience as the author of illustrations, trade labels and posters. However, the mass purpose of his creations did not at all prevent him from serving great ideals. He admired female beauty, and women are known to admire the beauty of jewelry and precious stones. Combining these two unconditional beauties, he created a cycle of paintings in which he depicted precious stones in the image of women and seasons.

Topaz dreamily warms itself in the rays of the setting sun, ruby is a femme fatale with an alluring gaze in red. The emerald is just as mysterious and at the same time dangerous as a snake, so the hem of the dress turns into a snake grin. Amethyst changes shades, so the woman is in a sensual pose, but at the same time thinking about something serious.

Women and jewelry always exist somewhere nearby. The sincere love of the fair sex for precious metals and stones is probably mutual, because nothing else can emphasize the elegance of the collarbones, wrists, fingers, give depth and expressiveness to the look, except perhaps the brush of a talented artist. Therefore, the creator is the third and not at all superfluous in this wonderful union. However, women did not always adorn themselves with jewelry, everything was used without exception, even claws, bones and coins - these and other ethnic jewelry are worn by women in different parts of the world to this day.