Favoured for its shimmering exoticism by champions of the Aesthetic and Art Nouveau movements, the peacock feather enjoyed a lively vogue as a design motif in the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries. Its graceful silhouette and rich iridescent hues were adapted to every manner of decorative-art object: textiles and graphic design; porcelain, glass and metalwork; even furniture and interior decoration. A delicate peacock feather brooch (French, 1925-35) in the Museum's collection, exquisitely fashioned in gold and inset with sapphires, emeralds, topaz, diamonds, and amethysts, is the source for our hand enamelled Peacock Feather Brooch. 24K gold overlay, hand enamelled with Swarovski™ crystals. 3''L x 1''W.
- 24K gold overlay
- Hand enamelled
- Swarovski™ crystals
- 3''L x 1''W
In part a reaction to the mechanisation of the Industrial Revolution, Art Nouveau ("new art"), with its flowing lines, whiplash curves, and lavish botanical and animal patterns, originated in France and Belgium in the 1880's. Reaching its pinnacle at the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris, it spread throughout Western Europe and the United States, influencing everything from jewellery to furniture design. Lasting up until the First World War, Art Nouveau's fluid style can be seen as a metaphor for creative freedom and a release from the weight of artistic tradition.