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| Earrings Russia, Early Eighteenth Century The Victoria & Albert Museum |
This pair of square pendant earrings is set with rose-cut diamonds, rubies and foiled pink sapphires. Each one drips with three small, pierced pearls. Earrings of this style were the height of fashion with the Russian aristocracy of the early Eighteenth Century.
This example was made by a local silversmith and, thusly, has no marking. However, more celebrated jewelers made such pairs for export to France and Britain.
While the style remained popular well into the Nineteenth Century with the rural population, the aristocracy dropped it like a burning porcupine toward the middle of the Eighteenth. Wealthier families of the later part of the century wanted to show their international understanding and preferred to adorn themselves with styles popular in Europe. The Great Exhibition also helped solidify an international style which was adopted throughout empires.
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