Blog:Egyptomania
from the Antique Jewelry University
By Angela Grigsby
Using the term Egyptomania to describe the fascination with Egyptian art and culture as it influenced artists over thousands of years; this presentation concentrates specifically on jewelry artists.
With an emphasis on 1850 through the discovery of King Tut in the Art Deco period we saw a plethora of vivid examples of how artists used Egyptian decorative motifs to their own advantage and applied them along with the popular jewelry making techniques of their day. A few such examples are Castellani using scarabs along with Etruscan Revival granulation techniques so popular during the Victorian era. As well as Cartier incorporating ancient Egyptian fragments of artifacts into a collection of Egyptian inspired masterpieces in platinum. We even see Lalique in the later days of his career only using glass scarabs and beads to produce necklaces for the masses. Louis Comfort Tiffany manufactured necklaces using his Favrile glass.
The motifs were not always used in their most pure form and were stylized in the artists own interpretation. Some so clearly Egyptian using figures you may see on the wall of a temple or a tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Yet some so diluted that the motifs were barely recognizable as Egyptian, none the less producing wonderful pieces.
As someone who has always had a fascination with Egypt, I would encourage anyone not familiar art to explore this subject, especially as it applies to jewelry.
