11 juillet 2012

    Jar. Central Asia (Samarqand), Timurid period, 1417–49. White jade (nephrite). H. 14.5 cm; Diam. 16 cm. Inv. no. 328. Museu Calouste Gulbenkian © 2008 Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian This jug, produced in Samarqand, is considered to be one of the most famous pieces of jade from the Timurid period (1378-1506), specifically from the time of Ulugh Beg, a great patron of the arts and sciences. The dragon on the handle was a recurrent motif in Timurid art and reveals the influence of... [Lire la suite]

The Diamond & Emerald necklace of Marie~Louise. The necklace is composed of 32 emeralds, 264 rose-cut diamonds and 864 brilliant-cut diamonds. The necklace set in gold and silver. This necklace of great historic value, and imperial provenance, was preserved in its pure state, by the person who acquired it from the ancestors of Marie Louise. The Louvre Museum acquired the necklace together with the earrings, also part of the original parure, for the sum of 3.7 million euros where it lies today.  The Diamond &... [Lire la suite]

Marie-Louise Emerald and Diamond Diadem ©Van Cleef & Arpels  A gift from Napoleon Bonaparte to Marie Louise (his second wife and niece of Marie~Antoinette) on the occasion of their wedding, this incredible Diadem was just one component in the parure, or suite of jewelry, given to her that day. The components of the exquisite Emerald and Diamond parure of Empress Marie-Louise are an Emerald and Diamond Diadem, an Emerald and Diamond Necklace, a pair of Emerald and Diamond Earrings, an Emerald and... [Lire la suite]

Footed bowl. Turkey, Iznik, c. 1510. Fritware, painted underglaze. H. 22; Diam. 42 cm. Inv. no. 211. Museu Calouste Gulbenkian © 2008 Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian Probably used for ritual ablutions, this bowl is one of the more remarkable creations from the Iznik potteries and its decoration presents clear evidence of the influence of Chinese porcelain.  The exterior has hatayi-type decoration with garlands of stylised flowers of Chinese inspiration in blue on a white ground.... [Lire la suite]

The Sancy Diamond.  The Sancy Diamond a very interesting & colorful history. It is colorless, with a very faint greenish-yellow tint 55.23-carat shield-shaped stone. The stone was purchased in Constantinople in 1570, by the French Ambassador to Turkey, the Seigneur de Sancy, who was a collector of gems and jewelry. He brought it to France, where Henry III, who was sensitive about being bald, used it to decorate a small cap he always wore to conceal his baldness.   During the next reign,... [Lire la suite]

Brushpot. China, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period (1736-1795)/  Brown onyx.  H. 15 cm.  Inv. no. 109. Museu Calouste Gulbenkian © 2008 Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian This onyx brush-holder, carved in high and low relief, is shaped like a tree trunk, while the handle appears as a small twisting stem. The use of animal and plant motifs was a constant in these sophisticated objects.  Nature was the main source of inspiration for pieces in jade, onyx, chalcedony, lapis lazuli and rock crystal, which all... [Lire la suite]

The Hortensia Diamond.  The Hortensia diamond is a gorgeous and rare diamond with a Peachy~Pink color and weighing in at over 20 carats! It is a diamond of Indian origin, purchased by King Louis XIV and since then has been part of the French Crown Jewels. The occurrence of pink diamonds is much less than 0.1 % of all naturally occurring diamonds in the world, this diamond is listed as one of the world's rarest in size and color. It does have a very thin crack in it. The Hortensia was stolen in the heist of 1792. It was... [Lire la suite]

  Deep plate. China, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722). White porcelain with famille verte enamels. Diam. 36.3 cm. Inv. no. 961. Museu Calouste Gulbenkian © 2008 Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian The complex and dense decorative pattern on this deep plate, made in extremely fine porcelain with a transparent glaze, uses brilliant enamels from thefamille vert: green (the dominant colour), iron red, aubergine, brown and blue, and with gold applications.  The centre depicts... [Lire la suite]

The Rubies Bracelets of Marie~Thérèse, duchesse d'Angoulême These Bracelets were also part of a large parure belonging to Marie-Therese. It consisted of a coronet topped by an eagle, a tiara, comb, girandole earrings, belt buckle, and the two bracelets. It was one of the crown jewels of France that came from the collection founded in 1530 by Francois I. Marie~Louise wore these jewels on her wedding day and after the fall of the Empire and the restoration of the BourbonMonarchy they went... [Lire la suite]

The tiara of Marie~Thérèse, duchesse d'Angoulême. One glorious piece from the collection is the tiara of Marie~Therese the only living child of Marie~Antoinette & Louis XVI. It is a beautiful Emerald and diamond tiara in a symmetrical design of scrolling foliage, mounted with over a thousand diamonds set in silver, and 40 emeralds set in gold.  The royal jewelers who were assigned the task of designing and crafting the tiara were the Bapst brothers. They used 14 of the largest emeralds from the crown collection.... [Lire la suite]