The main difference between plain, boring jewelry and true wearable works of art is all in the meticulous design. Designers, artisans, architects, and artists have always drawn inspiration from other creative minds and trends that fit the era. With such a rich history of human art, designers are given a full palette of inspiration to work with to create new and creative looks. From Symbolism to Rococo, artists of the past have a wealth of knowledge to pass down. Anyone can design a cute outfit for a night out, but it takes a real understanding of art and fashion to be able to make nods to the great artistic masterminds in human history.
With this in mind, we’re putting on our art history hats today to depict how art can be a constant influence on our jewelry and fashion choices. It brings a whole new level of thought to the design when the designers collaborate with great minds of the past. We’ll be rediscovering some of our favorite eras to connect to art movements of the past and finding the perfect art era that fits our personalities and ensembles.
Go Baroque
The original maximalists. Anyone who has ever entered the Baroque side of the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston or entered a gold-lined cathedral knows that the Baroque era of art and architecture celebrates the art of extreme excess. With golden scrolls framing every art piece and not an inch of negative space left, the Baroque style encapsulates grandeur in exuberant detail. Armenta is a prime example of a jewelry designer who takes the baroque approach in their Old World Series. The Old World Stack Band Ring with Champagne Diamond Scrolls is a love letter to the Baroque era. From the deep contrast of the dark sterling silver and the gleaming yellow gold scrolls to the ornately set white diamond accents, this Old World Stack Ring from Armenta is the perfect way to keep the Baroque artistry right on her fingertips.
A Personal Renaissance
The Renaissance era is one of the most famous in art and architecture. Marked by our departure from the dreaded Middle Ages, the Renaissance was an explosion of creativity, depicting spirituality, enlightenment, and religious iconography. We can thank the Renaissance era for producing the sweet depictions of cute chubby cherubs - and we can thank Temple St. Clair for carrying on this tradition. Temple St. Clair is a brand known for their heavenly inspiration, and we need to look no further than the Temple St. Clair Angel Pendant. The yellow gold pendant is embossed with a thoughtful little cherub and dotted with three flawless white diamonds at the bottom. Raphael himself would be pleased with the attention-to-detail.
Symbiosis in Symbolism
Let the imagination wander. We’re entering the territory of figurative illustrations and dreamlike depictions - the wonderful world of Symbolism. The Symbolism movement came straight off the heels of Realism, and focuses less on what is happening in a particular scene and more on what it feels like. A quintessential example of the Symbolism era is The Kiss by Gustav Klimt - a painting filled with gold shapes and ornate floral patterns. The tenderness felt though the individual line work is simplistic in nature compared to the hyper-realistic depictions of subjects before this era. Meira T knows that a simple shape can carry a great amount of meaning and weight, and this can be seen in their Signature Off Center Disk Necklace. The 14k yellow gold disk holds a single white diamond in the center and is offset by three delicate white diamonds that are suspended from one side of the chain. Symbolism is when less can mean so much more.
You Go, Rococo
We started this article off with the Baroque era, so it’s only fitting to bookend it with the French Rococo style, oftentimes referred to as “Late Baroque.” We are in full-swing maximalism, and we are seeing the past eras of theatrical, ornate art depicted in modern design and fashion. Where the Baroque era focused on contrast and ornate gold details, Rococo creates flowing curved line work and pastels and celebrates the verdant beauty of nature. Rococo is playful yet elegant, and that sentiment is captured perfectly in the Oval Emerald and Diamond Ring by Jye’s. The charming swirls of white gold that hold the oval-cut emerald centerpiece and its surrounding white diamond pave is a testament to the Rococo style. Designed with a sense of whimsical radiance, this Oval Emerald and Diamond Ring is nothing short of enchanting.