The Jeweled Menagerie: The World of Animals in Gems

Showcases the most spectacular examples of animal motifs in jewelry by master jewelers from America and Europe. The depiction of animals in art goes back to prehistoric cave paintings; and the early history of jewelry, from ancient Egyptian scarabs to Renaissance pendants, shows abundant examples of animal imagery. In the nineteenth century a new group of designers, seeking to satisfy the growing middle class's appetite for jewels, revived the Egyptian and Etruscan styles. Animals of all sorts were incorporated: birds, mammals, insects, reptiles, and fish. Prominent houses such as Fouquet, Fontenay, Falize, Faberge, and Tiffany all produced a spectacular array of animal jewels that are much prized today. Design developments t...

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