Glory and God

In the Baroque era, jewellery served the primary purpose of demonstrating power and luxury and functioned as a display of Absolutist opulence and magnificence. No wonder that the most costly and rare precious stones such as diamonds, rubies, emeralds and even turquoise and pearls enjoyed such enormous popularity in Baroque jewellery design. Moreover, symbolic content played an equally important role in the choice of materials and motifs used in Baroque jewellery.

During the age of the Counter-Reformation in particular, religious motifs underwent a revival, mainly in conjunction with the resurgent Mariolatry. Trends in fashion changed rapidly during the Baroque era, when they were shaped by the French court, and spread from there throughout Europe.

Changes in clothing fashions also had an impact on jewellery design that saw the development of new jewellery forms. The pieces of jewellery from the Baroque era in the MAKK collection comprise mainly types worn by women, such as pendants, stomachers and necklaces.