There would be enough to write about it for years. Jewels have always been part of the world of art. Crowns, necklaces, bracelets and all kinds of precious objects have adorned the bodies of those who have made history. The goldsmith's art has allowed us to enjoy the fine workmanship of many of the jewels and artifacts that have passed through kingdoms and republics, some arriving to this day in flesh and blood, or rather in gold and precious stones, while others we can enjoy in many paintings.
Today we choose to tell you about two famous paintings that have a jewel in common: the pearl. But first let's do an overview.
The origin of the term pearl
It is Pliny who helps us find an explanation for the word pearl. In fact, according to him, “pearl” derives from perna (shell that produces mother-of-pearl) or from perula (small bag) or from pirula (perina). But the term does not only have Roman roots. In Arabia the name of the pearl is giohar or gioman sciazz . In Greece, however, it was called margarita from the Sanskrit mangala (precious stone) or hārā .
Birth of the pearl
By now we all know that a pearl is nothing more than a calcareous layer that the pearl oyster deposits over a parasite or a grain. In short, the story is this: imagine a beautiful, calm, warm sea that laps paradise islands. In this sea lives the pearl oyster , pinctada or margheritifera , it sits there, happily gossiping with the neighbor about the new jellyfish that arrived with the current, when a parasite decides to come and rent it. What does she do? Instead of helping him assemble the MALM bed made in Ikea, she decides that the time has come to transform it into a beautiful piece of furniture. She layers a layer of calcium carbonate over the parasite and that's it, the end of the rental negotiations. Storytelling aside, the defense that the oyster puts in place against the parasite gives us this gem, which is not always how we imagine it. Often there are defects, a flattened surface, yellowish or too white color. Lack of shine or weight.
The pearl in history
Even with all the defects we can find in it, the pearl has stoically faced many historical periods, acquiring an unparalleled charm.
The Jewish people know the pearl given by Abraham to the slave Hagar who made Sarah jealous. In Egypt it arrived after the invasion of the Hykos (semi-nomads) and was immediately appreciated by the pharaohs so much so that they dedicated it to Isis. But the Phoenicians were the major exporters of pearls in antiquity. In Greece they became famous in the Hellenistic period thanks to the booty recovered from the wars in Asia and were dedicated to Aphrodite, the Goddess born from the Waters.
They also became the emblem of love and marriage, in fact they adorned the right ear of men and both ears of women.
Source: Uffizi Gallery
Now we come to ancient Rome. Pliny the Younger tells us that when Pompey won the war against Mithridates, he brought back to the Capital a surprising booty of rings, earrings, bracelets, various necklaces adorned with pearls. From that moment Rome was fascinated by the gem that also became the object of ridiculous uses: from the portraits of Pompey entirely composed of pearls, to Nero who had his beds covered with them. Finally it also became a currency of exchange in the absence of universally recognized currencies, together with diamonds and emeralds. Not even with the arrival of Christianity did the use and abuse of pearls disappear. Church vessels, sacred vestments, clothes and boots were adorned with particular inlays of crosses made of mother-of-pearl and chains set with these gems.
Not only that, they became, throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, a symbol of purity, humility, divine fear, tender and sweet profane love, joy, prudence and chastity, so much so that the most esteemed artists often adorned the clothes or bodies of the noble women they portrayed with pearls of various kinds and shapes precisely to give them a certain aura of Christianity.
Let's get to our paintings...
Portrait of Eleonora of Toledo with her son Giovanni - Bronzino
1545
Source: Uffizi Gallery
1545, summer. Eleonora of Toledo, daughter of the Viceroy of Naples Don Pedro of Toledo who married Cosimo de' Medici, is spending her days in the villa of Poggio a Caiano. Obviously her coming to Florence is the result of a strategic marriage, but over the years Eleonora and Cosimo reveal themselves to be a loving and close-knit couple, so much so that they give birth to numerous children, including Giovanni, depicted together with her in the portrait by Bronzino. A portrait commissioned by the Duchess of Florence herself, it seems, destined to remain in history as a sublime example of 16th-century portraiture. Eleonora, 22 years old, is of a real and pure beauty. Already the mother of 4 children, she is portrayed wearing a white silk dress adorned with pomegranates in gold bouclé brocade, a symbol of fertility. The fruits are surrounded by black velvet arabesques, as is the bodice with a square neckline and a net that wraps around the shoulders decorated with pearls.
Pearls, indeed. In Eleonora's jewelry collection, pearls echo all the Christian symbolism as well as testifying to the nobility and wealth of the family to which Eleonora belongs. Florence at that time stood out for its goldsmith art, it is thought that the mind behind the design of Eleonora's jewelry was Benvenuto Cellini, a court goldsmith who had already created similar pieces. The drop pearls, the Duchess' favorite, frame her candid face while the necklace, in addition to having a rich pendant made up of a large table-cut diamond, also has a drop pearl to recall the long pearl necklace, perhaps a wedding gift from Cosimo himself. To complete the majesty of Eleonora's clothing, a solid gold belt with precious stones set in it and a large micro-pearl tassel at the end.
Bronzino Portrait of Eleonora of Toledo – Details - Uffizi Gallery
Once again - Johannes Vermeer
1665
Source: Mauritshuis Museum
Who doesn't know the Girl with a Pearl Earring (also called the Girl with a Turban)? It is one of Vermeer's most famous works in the world, also thanks to the popular book and the subsequent film that made it a pop icon.
The painting is a tronie. This is a very common genre in Holland and indicates a painting that is not a true portrait of a real person.
The Dutch Mona Lisa is in fact a hypnotic painting of a girl in historical or exotic costume. The girl's face, the blue turban and the pearl earring are the three protagonists of the work.
Looking at this painting means looking at a mystery hidden in the folds of the headdress or in the reflection of the pearl. It depicts a young girl half-length, in profile, with her face turned towards the viewer against a dark background. This chromatic contrast fully illuminates the young woman's face, revealing her rare beauty: red lips in a hint of a smile (like the Mona Lisa), a straight thin nose, large and magnetic eyes. The light in the pupils is recalled by the large pearl that shines in an almost penumbra on her neck.
The dress does not seem to follow the Dutch fashion of the time. In fact, she seems to be dressed according to the Turkish fashion. A copper cloak, a blue turban that wraps her hair and that pearl that makes the painting famous. In fact, the girl seems to have humble origins, so that pearl acquires a timeless charm and mystery. In fact, in the period in which Vermeer worked, the pearl was an aristocratic jewel: no young woman of humble origins could ever afford to buy a gem with such "noble" characteristics. Pearls were in fact imported from the Far East and were an extremely precious commodity.
Just as in Bronzino's Renaissance, also in Vermeer's time the pearl takes on specific characteristics. It is a sign of nobility, aristocracy, purity and well-being.