Mastery of Design: Les Fils d'Eos Brooch, 1963

The Victoria & Albert Museum

Georges Braques designed this brooch in 1963. It was produced by Baron Heger de Loewenfeld of polished lapis-lazuli, textured gold and diamonds pavé-set in platinum. Braques’ design reflects the post-war trend of jewelry being a “wearable art.”
Since Georges Braque was one of the most influential artists and painters of the period and he already worked in sculpture and stained glass, jewelry design seemed a natural next step. He designed this sumptuous brooch to represent—as birds--the three sons of Eos, the goddess of dawn: Phaeton, the guardian of Aphrodite’s temple, Phosphorus, the morning star and Hesperus, the evening star. Braque, who disliked shiny surfaces, often mixed sand into his paint for a granular effect and ordered that the Baron replicate this look with the goldwork.