Details
ART NOUVEAU YELLOW GOLD, PLIQUE-A-JOUR ENAMEL, NEAR COLORLESS AND COLORED DIAMOND PENDANT
Of multicolored plique-a-jour enamel, designed as a budding flower metamorphasizing into a winged insect enhanced by old mine-cut near-colorless and brown diamonds, the wing tips set with a marquise-cut green and pink diamond, bordered by calibré-cut rubies, suspending a line of oval-cut and pear-shaped brown, old mine-cut green and french-cut near colorless diamonds, mounted in yellow gold, Philippe Wolfers, Ex-Unique, circa 1897-1905
This piece exemplifies the extraordinary work created by Philippe Wolfers, regarded by most as the father of the Belgian Art Nouveau movement. Born in 1858 to a family of highly skilled artisans, appointed as the court jewellers to the Belgian crown, he apprenticed in the family workshop and acquired the skills needed of a 19th century goldsmith. While trained initially in the Neo Rococco taste, his style evolved into the sinuous and sensuous forms of the Art Nouveau period.
During the years between 1897 and 1905, Wolfers produced a series of one hundred and nine jewels distinguished from the Wolfers Freres firm by the signature EX[emplaire] UNIQUE; it is from this collection that this piece is sired. This fine example is a surviving testament to Wolfers' superior execution of plique-a-jour work and the employment of colored diamonds coupled with his masterful interpretation of naturalistic motifs; most notable the theme of metamorphosis
See cover lot illustration
Of multicolored plique-a-jour enamel, designed as a budding flower metamorphasizing into a winged insect enhanced by old mine-cut near-colorless and brown diamonds, the wing tips set with a marquise-cut green and pink diamond, bordered by calibré-cut rubies, suspending a line of oval-cut and pear-shaped brown, old mine-cut green and french-cut near colorless diamonds, mounted in yellow gold, Philippe Wolfers, Ex-Unique, circa 1897-1905
This piece exemplifies the extraordinary work created by Philippe Wolfers, regarded by most as the father of the Belgian Art Nouveau movement. Born in 1858 to a family of highly skilled artisans, appointed as the court jewellers to the Belgian crown, he apprenticed in the family workshop and acquired the skills needed of a 19th century goldsmith. While trained initially in the Neo Rococco taste, his style evolved into the sinuous and sensuous forms of the Art Nouveau period.
During the years between 1897 and 1905, Wolfers produced a series of one hundred and nine jewels distinguished from the Wolfers Freres firm by the signature EX[emplaire] UNIQUE; it is from this collection that this piece is sired. This fine example is a surviving testament to Wolfers' superior execution of plique-a-jour work and the employment of colored diamonds coupled with his masterful interpretation of naturalistic motifs; most notable the theme of metamorphosis
See cover lot illustration
