The Pearl in Western paintings (Olga E.)

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Pearl
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symbol of purity and virtue, of heavenly
beauty, of wealth and refinement, of opulence
and romantic allure
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The Pearl in Western paintings
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from the pearl of wealth, chastity and virtue by
Piero della Francesca, to the pearl of ocean
treasures by Gustave Moreau through the rococo
pearl by François Boucher and the shining pearl
by Johannes Vermeer
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a pearl in all its splendour
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The goddess Venus coming out of the sea foams on
a huge scallop shell. Venus is bare naked and
does not wear any jewellery. However, what if
Botticelli wants to show us that she is the
actual jewel coming out of the seashell like a
pearl pure, beautiful, and precious.
Sandro Botticelli The Birth of
Venus La Naissance de Vénus El nacimiento de
Venus 1482-1485 Uffizi Gallery, Florence
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a hairstyle extremely refined, with veils and
pearls dressed elegantly in the manner of the
Florentine noblewomen of the late 15th
century Filippo
Lippi Madonna and Child La Vierge à l'Enfant avec
deux anges Virgen con el niño y dos ángeles
1450-1465 Uffizi Gallery, Florence
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the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven with
a crown, with these very precious stones and this
gold, with these beautiful pearls that shes
wearing Fouquet depicted the crown as an
actual crown, decorated in pearls. This is in
opposition to the decorative nimbus, in similar
art of the time period. Both styles are
beautiful, but the French artists version shows
the wealth and splendor of the French
court. Jean Fouquet Melun Diptych,
Virgin and Child Surrounded by Angels Diptyque de
Melun, La Vierge et l'Enfant entourés
d'anges Díptico de Melun, Virgen con Niño y
ángeles 1450 Koninklijk Museum voor Schone
Kunsten, Antwerp
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Battista Sforza the nobility, power, authority
and prestige ... the abundance of pearls in
her portrait signified the wealth of her husband
and chastity and virtue - important traits for
a Renaissance woman to possess Pi
ero della Francesca Portraits of the Duke and
Duchess of Urbino, Battista Sforza Double
Portrait des ducs d'Urbino, Battista Sforza
Díptico de los Duques de Urbino, Battista
Sforza 1473-1475 Uffizi Gallery, Florence
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a young man, a prayer book, a ring and a
pearl These two jewels allude to marriage and
suggest that the panel could have been the right
part of a matrimonial diptych. An
tonio Leonelli da Crevalcore Attr. attribué à
Portrait of a Young Man Portrait d'un jeune
homme Retrato de un joven 1475 Museo Correr,
Venice
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a pearl necklace ... ... Pearls, associated
with Marys chaste conception, may not be worn
by courtesans and women of non-aristocratic rank
... as ordered by the Il Magistrato alle Pompe
nella Repubblica di Venezia. So not a
courtesan, but on the contrary, a chaste, devout
and wealthy young lady of the Venetian
aristocracy. Vittore Carpaccio
attributed to Portrait of a Woman Portrait de
femme Retrato de una mujer 1495-1498 Galleria
Borghese, Rome
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a chaotic mess of sea creatures Almost
seeming out of place a pearl necklace lies across
her neck and a pearl earring.
Giuseppe Arcimboldo Water L'Eau El
agua 1566 Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
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a unknown woman ... her posture is based on a
classical model the type of the Venus
Pudica The pearls opens another level of meaning
in the picture as a portrait of a Venetian
courtesan. Titian Titien Girl
in a Fur Jeune Femme à la fourrure Mujer en un
abrigo de piel 1536-1538 Kunsthistorisches
Museum, Vienna
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The ten-year-old Federigo, son of Francesco
Gonzaga and Isabella d'Este. wears a gold
chain with a white pearl symbol of innocence.
Francesco Francia Portrait
of Federico II Gonzaga Frédéric II de
Gonzague Federico II Gonzaga 1510 Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York
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an attractive young woman the bracelet
bearing Raphaël's name is a declaration of
love the oriental turban a symbol of luxury and
exoticism the pearl, a symbol of purity and
chastity, contradicting the erotic and
provocative nature of the painting (Some have
suggested that the right hand over the left
breast reveals a cancerous tumor.) Rap
hael Raphaël Portrait of a Young Woman (La
fornarina) Portrait d'une jeune femme (La
Fornarina) Retrato de una joven (La
Fornarina) 1518-1519 Galleria Nazionale d'Arte
Antica, Rome
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three precious stones ruby, emerald and sapphire
and a pearl, an element that alludes to
virginal purity and marital fidelity
Raphael Raphaël Portrait of Maddalena
Doni Portrait de Maddalena Doni Retrato de
Maddalena Doni 1506 Galleria degli Uffizi,
Florence
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Portraits and pearls have a symbiotic
relationship in Elizabeths world ... and
pearls, those symbols of virginity, are
everywhere. Here Elizabeth looking cold,
haughty and imperious, whit a double string of
pearls. Unknown Anonyme Queen
Elizabeth I  Reine Élisabeth Ire Reina Isabel I
de Inglaterra 1575 National Portrait Gallery,
London
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Elizabeth is draped in pearls ... Each pearl
celebrates her heavenly authority and the purity
of her virginity. Here Elizabeth I. towards
the end of her reign, aged about 60 years
old. Her skin is clear and without the smallpox
scars - with white make-up. Her mouth is closed .
hiding her rotten teeth. Her famous red hair,
there is no grey or white in it - she wore wigs
as she became older. Marcus
Gheeraerts the Younger Queen Elizabeth I 'The
Ditchley portrait Ditchley Portrait dÉlisabeth
Ire La Reina Isabel I El Retrato de
Ditchley 1592 National Portrait Gallery, London
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and the Venetian painter Titian will create a
scandalous painting a goddess as a sensual
symbol and a modest but full of passion pearl
Titian Titien Venus of
Urbino Vénus d'Urbin Venus de Urbino 1538 Galleria
degli Uffizi, Florence
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a lush garden a young woman pearls the rose
trellis two elderly men the magpie represents
imminent defamation the ducks loyalty the deer
desire and lust the red dress of the elders
indicates danger and lust the pearls represent
innocence and purity Tintoretto Le
Tintoret Susanna and the Elders Suzanne et les
Vieillards Susana y los viejos 1555 Kunsthistoris
ches Museum, Vienna
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a young woman and a crown of thorns and
pearls, signifying both her martyrdom and royal
status Lorenzo Lotto Saint
Catherine Sainte Catherine Santa Catalina de
Alejandría 1522 National Gallery of Art,
Washington, D.C.
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a dark, bare interior, a ray of light evoking
the divine message Caravaggio shows his heroine
in deep meditation, humbly preparing for her new
spiritual destiny. As a sign of renunciation
of the pleasures of her past life, she leaves
her gold jewellery on the floor and her white
pearl necklace, which she has broken.
Caravaggio Le Caravage Penitent
Magdalene Madeleine repentante Magdalena
penitente 1593 Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Rome
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a young woman a mirror and a pearl
necklace The girl is styled fashionably but
also unrealistically pearls this size could
only ever have been owned by the wealthiest women
in Dutch society. In Dutch painting pearls were
sometimes associated with vanity and mirrors were
considered a symbol of pride, and invoked the
pettiness and transience of the
mundane. Johannes Vermeer Young Woman
with a Pearl Necklace La Dame au Collier de
Perles La muchacha del Collar de
Perlas 1662 Gemäldegalerie, Berlin
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Johannes Vermeer the master of light a girl
an exotic dress an oriental turban and a
shining pearl Johannes
Vermeer Girl with a Pearl Earring La Jeune Fille
à la Perle La Joven de la Perla 1665 Mauritshuis,
The Hague
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a goddess surrounded in pearls lush
garden, sumptuous palatial interior and rococo
canapé Venus, three playful cupids
and pearls Opulence and allure, idealized
feminine beauty. Here, pearls don't just
accentuate the Goddess's luxury, they elevate
her status in the scene. François
Boucher La Toilette de Vénus The toilet of
Venus Venus arreglándose o El arreglo de
Venus 1751 Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
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a box at the Paris Opera, a pink dress adorned, a
shimmering pearl necklace a confident, modern
woman of the late 19th century a snapshot of
Parisian society during a time of great social
change Mary Cassatt Woman in a
Loge Femme dans une loge Mujer en un palco
1879 Museum of Art, Philadelphia
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Mermaids traditionally were sirens who lured
sailors to their death through their captivating
song. There are no sailors in Waterhouse's
painting despite being a siren. Beside her is a
shell filled with pearls, which some believed to
be formed from the tears of dead
sailors. John William
Waterhouse A Mermaid Une Sirène Sirena 1900 Royal
Academy of Arts, London
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Venus has risen from the depths of the sea
... a merman proffers her a bright pink coral a
mermaid presents her with a pearl on a
shell. The sea represents birth or creation the
coral and pearl symbolize the ocean's
treasures and Venus embodies beauty and
fertility Gustave Moreau Vénus
émergeant de la mer Venus Rising from the
Sea Venus emergiendo del mar 1866 The Israel
Museum, Jerusalem
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The Pearl in Western paintings La perle dans la
peinture occidentale La Perla en la pintura
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