Flora and fauna source of inspiration for the art of goldsmithing
Since ancient times, nature has been a source of inspiration for man. From it, all the artists have drunk for the elaboration of their works, and the goldsmiths could not be less.
In the beginning, bones, skulls, skins served as adornment to the human being, then with the passage of time, jewelry takes the examples of flora and fauna as a creative motif.
The animals give the pieces strength, personality and rebelliousness. The plant world offers a varied color palette and is a source of inspiration for all the arts and at all times.
The crocodile, with its ability to live both on land and in water, is a symbol of great power and has great protective properties. As with many water creatures it is associated with fertility. In ancient Egypt, the crocodile was a symbol of pure power and was associated with rich harvests. The actress Maria Félix “La Doña” was a fan of crocodiles. The most important piece in her jewelry box was a necklace made up of two articulated crocodiles encrusted with gems, the work of Cartier. We can have a magnificent brooch with the representation of this animal in our jewelry box, accessing our auction.
The snake is another of the animals widely used in jewelry since ancient times. It appears in practically all ancient cultures, religions and mythologies. Symbol of the underground world and the kingdom of the dead for many civilizations, it has been both the personification of evil in paradise, and the symbol of eternity when it bites its tail and becomes the uroboros.
Throughout the history of civilizations, it has played a prominent role. In ancient Greece it meant healing and regeneration, since its change of skin was interpreted as a rebirth. In the Minoan culture, developed in ancient Crete between 3,000 and 1,000 BC, there are several statuettes of a woman holding two snakes in her hands, which has been interpreted as a goddess linked to fertility. Greeks and Romans were seduced by snakes and created zigzag bracelets and rings, often gold with garnets.
The snake motif would have its peak during the Art Nouveau era, when nature, sinuousness and curves dominated the arts. However, it was two exceptional women who made snakes one of the most iconic motifs in jewelry.
In 1839, the famous Queen Victoria of England received from her fiancé, Prince Albert, a wonderful engagement ring in the shape of a snake that wanted to symbolize the eternal love he felt for her. It was a gold ring set with rubies, diamonds, and an emerald, the queen’s birthstone. This jewel ended up creating a trend and becoming fashionable, first in Great Britain and then throughout Europe.
A century later, it would be another woman with an overwhelming personality who would order, in this case, a snake-shaped necklace from the Cartier house. The Mexican actress María Félix, the beautiful María that Agustín Lara sang, asked the famous jeweler, in 1968, to make her a Serpent Necklace. It is obvious that these animals, both the snake and the crocodile, are animals of great personality and power.
During the existence of the modern world, the figure of this animal has been related to wisdom and people of great character with the ability to convince others.
Snake jewelry captivates us and makes us fall in love, we may never receive a ring like Queen Victoria’s, nor order a necklace similar to María Félix’s, but what prevents us from bidding on the wonderful snake bracelet that we will auction soon?
Another of the very recurrent motifs in jewelry is the dragon, in this case we are no longer facing a real animal, but rather a mythological being. It is a being that appears in various forms in various cultures around the world, with different associated symbolism.
There are two main dragon traditions: European dragons, derived from European folk traditions and Greek and Near Eastern mythology, and Oriental dragons, of Chinese origin but also known in Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries. Both traditions probably arose independently, but in their development they have influenced each other.
With their color and showiness, they provide the goldsmith with a wide field of work where he can let his fantasy and creativity fly to create authentic works of art, we cannot forget that Jewelry is an Art with a capital letter. This is recognized, without a doubt, in the pieces of our next auction.
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Flora and fauna source of inspiration for the art of goldsmithing
Since the Renaissance with the Medici in Florence and the Sforza family in Milan, Italy has been the cradle of the great artists in Europe.
Great creators have been setting international trends to this day.
Italian goldsmithing is one of the wonders of Made in Italy.
Perfect fusion of tradition and modernity, it synthesizes the love of beauty with artisan experience and the ability to preserve ancient knowledge that has made Italy one of the world leaders in the production of jewelery and goldsmiths.
In Italy there is a flourishing luxury market, of international fame, represented by the so-called distretti (literally district, referring to important production areas) for gold, especially that of Valenza ., which is one of the best known and most important in the international jewelery sector. The district de Valenza includes eight neighboring municipalities where high-end jewelery and goldsmiths are produced and sold.
The city, which will be included among the places of particular interest in the Milan Expo, opened its Gioiello Museum (Museo de la Joya) in 2015.
The small town in Piedmont is the one with the highest density of goldsmiths in Italy, the largest number of artisan companies in goldsmiths and jewelers, and combines the solid tradition of high craftsmanship with a great capacity for technical, stylistic and material innovation. The high level of design, a lively production network and an internationally renowned fair, as well as its training centers and a strong goldsmith tradition eradicated in the territory, make Valenza the cradle of jewelery in Italy and an international benchmark.
Large-volume creations cannot be simply conceived and drawn, but must be designed and studied to the smallest detail, in order to obtain an extremely particular jewel, such as a sample architecture, that is in harmony with the shapes of the body that He carries them.
To make beautiful jewelry it is not only necessary to know the anatomy of the body but also to have original and creative ideas.
You also have to know in depth the properties of the metal to maximize its characteristics.
The combination of creative ideas and sensitive hands is what really makes a creation unique.
Goldsmith crafts are one of the most widespread professions in Italy, with deep local roots and regional specializations, where companies are often family-owned and make custom-made jewelry for their clients. This typically Italian artistic vocation is illustrated by numerous localities and goldsmith districts.
Sophistication, craftsmanship, independent spirit, love for detail and, above all, for the high sense of delicious femininity and love that a jewel must translate: these are the keys to becoming one of the greats. Vendorafa has managed to combine all these criteria in its pieces.
Vendorafa Lombardi jewelery pieces they are born in essential ways: organic patterns in continuous harmony with intuition and experience, research and creativity. The desire to explore new planning routes and new manufacturing strategies generates harmonious solutions and original tactile effects.
The purity of gold is taken to a higher level by design and enhanced by the greatest attention to detail.
Gold is unique and irresistible, it has fascinated civilizations since the beginning of time. It is an irresistible metal, discovered about 6000 years ago in Mesopotamia, with its beauty and fascination it has always been the metal closest to the Gods.
Its malleability, you have to think that it is a little harder than lead, but so malleable that an ounce of gold of little more than 31 g can be transformed into an ultra-thin sheet of more than 10 m, the ductility means that it can be rolled in more 80 m of gold thread.
Yellow is the color of gold par excellence, jewelry making techniques are so important and diverse that, together with the brilliance of gold, they can fully enhance yellow gold, more than white or pink.
Vendorafa jewels in yellow, pink or white are always 18K, the different shades of white and pink can be obtained with a variable alloy of silver or copper inside.
Lost wax casting, embossing, molding, are still the same traditional techniques, only taking advantage of new technologies that require the special hand of the master craftsmen of Vendorafa Manual processes such as hammering, engraving and embossing have always characterized Vendorafa Lombardi jewels.
Vendorafa creations are conceived, created, designed and made with Italian hands, heart and soul.
The work, made exclusively by hand, enhances the material value of gold, its light and its aesthetic warmth.
More than sixty years of jewelry made in Italy thanks to the passion of expert goldsmiths. Since 1951, Vendorafa has been creating and producing collections that are known and recognized as a sign of Made in Italy style and excellence.
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