Topazius

  • Visual Archive
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • About
  • By Type
    • Bracelets
    • Brooches & Pins
    • Earrings
    • Necklaces
    • Pendants
    • Rings
    • Sculptures & Objects
    • Watches
  • Ancient
  • Medieval
  • Renaissance
    • Tudor
  • Baroque
  • Antique
    • Revival
    • Arts & Crafts
You are here: Home / Type / Brooches & Pins / Medieval Heart Brooch

Medieval Heart Brooch

Medieval Heart Brooch, c 1400 AD

Place of origin:
France (probably, made)
England, Great Britain (possibly, made)

Date:
ca. 1400 (made)

Artist/Maker:
unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques:
Gold

Museum number:
86-1899 (V&A Museum, London)

This heart-shaped brooch with its romantic inscription was given as a token of love. It would have been used to fasten a tunic, gown or cloak. Gold was the most costly of metals, generally used only by royalty and the nobility. It is inscribed and would have formerly been enamelled on the reverse in French, in black letter script, ‘Ourselves and all things at your whim’ (‘Nostre et tout ditz a vostre desier’). The design on the front of the brooch, possibly stylised leaves and flowers or feathers, would also have been colourfully enamelled.

Ring brooches often fastened garments with a slit at the neck. Both men and women used them. They first pulled the fabric through the ring. They then pushed the pin horizontally through the fabric. When they pulled the fabric back through the ring, it held the pin in place.

Source link

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • More
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Filed Under: Brooches & Pins, Medieval Tagged With: gold

Subscribe by Email

Enter your information to receive new posts from Topazius via email. Convenient and sparkly!

Recently Posted

  • Italian Signet Ring circa 1300
  • Briar Rose Arts & Crafts Pendant
  • Egyptian Lotus Ring
  • Late Medieval Gold Ring with Hexagonal Sapphire
  • Gold Egyptian Revival Scarab Brooch

Let’s be social!

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Subscribe by Email

Like what you see? Have these posts emailed to you — convenient and sparkly!
Subscribe Now

Tags

amethyst Anglo-Saxon bloodstone books bronze Byzantine cameo carnelian Cartier Castellani Cypriot diamond Egyptian Egyptian faience emerald enamel engraving Etruscan exhibitions filigree Frankish garnet glass gold Goth granulation Greek guilloché intaglio Italian lapis lazuli onyx Persian platinum plique-à-jour Roman ruby sapphire sardonyx Scythian signet silver soapstone torque turquoise
  • Visual Archive
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • About

Topazius copyright © 2023 by Danielle Rose · Disclosure Policy