Antique Art Nouveau Brooch with Diamonds in Platinum on Gold, c. 1910

"Our childhood was weighed down by a paralyzing overabundance of things, not a single one of which could make us happy ..." In retrospect, Henry van de Velde was full of weariness when he summed up his discomfort with the art of the late 19th century, which was based on the rich ornamentation of the past. Together with other artists of his generation, he therefore searched for new forms, for simple, reduced beauty - and thus decisively shaped a type of Art Nouveau that was more linear in character. Dynamic lines, never decidedly figurative, but at best vegetal in appearance, were particularly popular in Germany, where van de Velde lived and worked for a long time. The present brooch also lives solely from the power of the line and is both typical of the time and timeless. Two bunches of fruit seem to grow out of the center of a jagged whip motif. A white old-cut diamond glitters at each end. The white diamonds are subtly held by platinum prongs and thus appear to almost float on the design like dots of light. Further diamond roses enliven the design. The brooch is in very good condition. Its hallmarking and design suggest that it was made in Germany.

Estimate:$1,092.56

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