Jewelry brands reinterpret motifs of Ancient Egypt
In Giza, Egypt, the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum at the end of last year drew renewed attention to the cultural heritage and design language of Ancient Egypt. Against this backdrop, Van Cleef & Arpels in June presented its Fascinating Egypt high jewelry collection of 180 pieces, inspired by pharaohs, pyramids, lotuses and hieroglyphs, The National reports.
From Egyptomania to Art Deco
Europe's interest in Ancient Egyptian culture intensified after Napoleon's campaign in Egypt in 1798. French scholars and researchers studied the monuments of the Nile and the Great Pyramids. In 1822, Jean-François Champollion deciphered the hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone, and in 1836 the Luxor Obelisk was installed at Place de la Concorde in Paris.
A new wave of Egyptomania was triggered by British Egyptologist Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in November 1922. Motifs of pharaohs, lotuses, pyramids and sphinxes appeared in decorative arts, music, theater, ballet and jewelry. Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier turned to images and patterns from the Valley of the Kings, reinterpreting them in modern forms with diamonds, onyx and emeralds; these motifs also influenced Art Deco.
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Scarabs and hieroglyphs in jewelry
Fascinating Egypt included Paysage bracelets with pyramids and a profile of Tutankhamun, a lotus brooch with rubies and diamonds, and the Beauté Légendaire necklace, created after Egyptian pectoral ornaments. Geneva jeweler Boghossian recreated the image of Cleopatra in its Queens of Time collection through a necklace with a Greco-Egyptian knot, golden-yellow mother-of-pearl and yellow diamonds.
Chasing, engraving, wirework, casting, stone setting and beadwork are among the Ancient Egyptian jewelry techniques still used today. Designer Amina Ghali of the Azza Fahmy brand noted the skill of ancient goldsmiths, particularly the execution of Tutankhamun's gold mask without visible solder lines.
The scarab, described in the source as a symbol of renewal and protection, became the basis of one of Azza Fahmy's latest collections. Bibi van der Velden creates scarab rings and rock crystal pendants, while Lito Fine Jewellery reinterpreted the motif in its Cosmic Guardians collection. New York brand Dyne makes custom Loverglyph rings that combine the idea of hieroglyphs with modern symbols to convey the story of the jewelry's owner.
