Year :
|
c.1860 |
Material :
|
Gold,Coral |
Collection :
|
Private Collection |
Exhibition : |
TIARA Dignity and Beauty
- the story of the Tiara
20 January ~ 22 July 2007
The Bunkamura Museum of Art / The Niigata Bandaijima Art Museum / The Museum of Kyoto
Organizers : Nippon Television Network Corporation and others |
|
<Description>
Coral tiara composed of round beads, set like berries to each side of a branch graduated in size towards the centre where a group of natural branches rise to an apex. Robert Phillips, London c. 1860.
<Commentary>
Robert Phillips (1810-1881) was established in London at 23, Cockspur Street from 1851. He was the leading English exponent of the historical style in jewellery and through his Italian connexions held a virtual monopoly on coral which he imported from Naples, Genoa and Sicily. Since a tiara had to be worn to all formal events in English society throughout the nineteenth century, and no woman wished to be seen wearing always the same one, most owned a collection of various designs, colours and value. Coral, admired for its noble rich red colour, might be worn facetted into beads, carved into cameos or in branches as here. This one with its naturalistic branches would have been considered suitable for a young woman who would wear it with a white gown, following the fashion of the First Empire at the beginning of the century.
Diana Scarisbrick |
