the paintings of the Uffizi, from the start of the 15th century to the beginning of the 18th ... the Secrets of gems

2. the paintings of the Uffizi, from the start of the 15th century to the beginning of the 18th ...
the Secrets of gems

3. Jewels in the Uffizi

5. sapphires, rubies, emeralds and pearls …
representing the modesty, goodness, beauty and
purity of the Madonna and of all the characters of the
Holy Conversation
Virgin
an pin featuring a sapphire and pearls,
a mark of her natural humility and virginity
Child
a crystal globe, a cross in gold and pearls,
a reference to spiritual kingship
St Michael
a pearl, a reminder of the angelic chastity
of a supernatural warrior, a divine avenger
Domenico Ghirlandaio
Sacra conversazione degli Ingesuati
Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints
La Vierge et l'enfant avec saint Michel archange, l'archange Gabriel,
saint Juste, saint Zénobe et quatre anges
1484-1486

6. St Zanobius and St Justus from Volterra
sapphires, the emblem of holy men
rubies, simulating the stigmata, a reminder
of the Passion of Christ Redeemer
a pin in the centre of the throat, a reference
to the eloquence of the Saint, who
evangelized his city besieged
Domenico Ghirlandaio
Sacra conversazione degli Ingesuati
Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints
La Vierge et l'enfant avec saint Michel archange,
l'archange Gabriel, saint Juste, saint Zénobe et quatre
anges
1484-1486

8. St Michael, Saint Michel

9. St Zanobius, Saint Zénobe

10. St Justus from Volterra, Saint Juste de Volterra

11. the international Gothic field …
the crowns of the Magi
the golden vases containing, gold, frankincense and myrrh
gold, a symbolic tribute to Christ the King
frankincense, a tribute to Christ’s divinity
myrrh, a tribute to the humanity of Jesus
Gentile da Fabriano
The Adoration of the Magi
L'Adoration des mages
1423

15. white pearls ...
symbol of natural beauty due to their spherical shape,
and
chastity, due to their whiteness
Filippo Lippi
Madonna and Child with Two Angels
La Vierge à l'Enfant avec deux anges
1465

19. a crown with diamonds, pearls, and vermilion gems ...
the association between the ruby and Charity appears
in the biblical interpretation
Piero del Pollaiolo
Charity
Charité
1469

24. protomartyr Vincent
wearing a dalmatic with rubies, diamonds, sapphires,
and pearls
St Eustace
pearls, the symbolism of chastity
rubies, his own martyrdom
diamonds, traditional symbols of resistance
St James the Greate
a pearl, a reference to Christ
the pecten jacobaeus, the Saint’s attribute, decorates
the hat at his feet
Piero del Pollaiolo
St James the Greater with St Vincent and St Eustace, Altarpiece of the
Cardinal of Portugal
Saint Vincent, Saint Jacques et Saint Eustache, Retable de la chapelle
du Cardinal de Portugal
1466-1468

26. Saint Vincent

27. Saint Eustace, Saint Eustache

28. St James the Greater, Jacques le Majeur

30. diamond, a natural emblem of strength …
two diamonds in the armour of Fortitude present her as the virtue
that cuts but cannot be cut by others
white pearls, reference to the absolute purity
Sandro Botticelli
Fortitude
La Force
1470

34. the diamonds of Pallas’ robe
...
the goddess even more invincible
Sandro Botticelli
Pallas and the Centaur
Pallas et le Centaure
1482

38. the Goddess
a diadem decorated with pearls
and
a pendant, a crescent moon with
red stone; a reference to fertility
Sandro Botticelli
Primavera
Le Printemps
1478-1482

39. the Graces
a classic Florentine pendant with the red gem
and
a pin, with pearls, sapphires and the oak leaves,
possibly a heraldic reference to Pope Julius II.
Sandro Botticelli
Primavera
Le Printemps
1478-1482

44. a monumental Triptych with jewels
symbolizing wealth and virtue ...
Angels
diadem with a pennino of the archangel
crowns
… a metaphysical expression of divine
glory
Hugo van der Goes
Portinari Triptych
Triptyque Portinari
1475

45. Maria Maddalena Portinari
a wedding ring with a ruby and a sapphire
and
an opulent necklace symbolizing the pearls chastity, rubies generosity and
diamonds resistance
Margherita Portinari
an string of pearls
a pendant with a ruby, a sapphire and a diamond, a reference to the goodness,
humility, and strength
and
a pin with a three pearls, a reference to the young girl’s name
Hugo van der Goes
Portinari Triptych
Triptyque Portinari
1475

52. a ruby, a sapphire and a pearl
gold, frankincense and myrrh
... symbolic tributes to the kingship, divinity
and humanity of Christ
Andrea Mantegna
Adoration of the Magi, Uffizi Triptych
L'Adoration des mages, Triptyque des Offices
1462

53. Melchior
gold and a pearl, representing the kingship of Christ,
and also refer to his chaste conception
Balthasar
frankincense and a sapphire, associated to the sky,
to the ultimate divine location
Gaspar
myrrh and a ruby, an allusion to death, to the human
nature of Christ, who was at once divine and mortal
Andrea Mantegna
Adoration of the Magi, Uffizi Triptych
L'Adoration des mages, Triptyque des Offices
1462

57. three small pearls
and
a ruby in the centre cut à cabochon
a combination of the Marian symbolism of virginity and love,
and references to the Trinity, and to Christ’s mission
Andrea Mantegna
Madonna of the Rocks
La Madone de la carrière
1489

60. St Catherine of Alexandria
white, perfectly round pearls, to underline the obstinate chastity
and
rubies, an iconographic reference to charity and unconditional love,
as well as to martyrdom
St Margaret
a diamond and pearls, marks of her dogged Faith and Chastity
Piero di Cosimo
The Incarnation of Jesus,
The Immaculate Conception with Saints
L'Incarnation du Christ
1485 and1505

63. St Catherine of Alexandria,
Sainte Catherine d'Alexandrie

64. St Margaret,
Sainte Marguerite

65. a gold chain with a ruby, a sign of charity
a brooch with an emerald and pearls,
a reference to the hope for Redemption
a liturgical vase in gold,
a symbol of divinity
Albrecht Dürer
Adoration of the Magi
L'Adoration des mages
1504

66. a spherical container with the closed figure
of the ouroboros, the snake biting its own
tail, a message of eternity
a small box, in gilded silver and precious
stones, a reference to the earthly death of the
son of God
Albrecht Dürer
Adoration of the Magi
L'Adoration des mages
1504

69. portrait destined to introduce Barbara to her future husband,
Ludovico Rangoni, condottiero from Modena
ruby, emerald and a pearl, signs of beauty and chastity
and
a long necklace of black beads, probably jet, to introduce
Barbara with her virtue intact
Alessandro Araldi
Portrait of Barbara Pallavicino
Portrait de Barbara Pallavicino
1510

72. the ruby, the symbol of love and Charity
the pearls, with their pure white colour correspond to Chastity
the sapphires are a reference to Modesty (colour as the Virgin’s
mantle)
the small diamond in her hair, a gem that shines in the darkness and
resists iron and fire, a reference to Faith
symbolism of the gems decorating the Duchess’ jewels mirror the
Virtues depicted in her Triumph on the other side of the portrait:
Charity and Faith, sitting on the carriage,
Chastity in a white robe and Temperance, dressed in light blue/grey
Piero della Francesca
The double portrait of the Dukes of Urbino, Portrait of Battista Sforza
Double Portrait des ducs d'Urbino, Portrait de Battista Sforza
1473-1475

77. a string of pearls, symbol of chastity
a pendant, with pearls and rubies, concepts of purity and generosity,
a virtue considered necessary for procreation
and
a fashionable jewel at that time in Milan:
a pin with
an angel, a ruby, a sapphire, an emerald and pearls
(the three stones, symbolising health, wealth and fertility, are visually
protected by the angel ...)
Piero del Pollaiolo
Portrait of a Woman
Portrait de femme
1470

81. a rare occurrence in male portraits …
a pendant with a red gem, a ruby or a garnet
Piero del Pollaiolo
Portrait of Galeazzo Maria Sforza
Portrait de Galeazzo Maria Sforza
1471

85. one of the most enigmatic models of the Renaissance ...
the medal bearing the effigies of Cosimo “pater patriae”
and
two rings
one with a ruby, signals the generosity of the character,
the other, with an emerald, evokes the value of beauty
Sandro Botticelli
Portrait of a Man with a Medal of Cosimo the Elder
Portrait d'homme avec médaille de Cosme l'ancien
1474

89. Elisabetta’s headband
and
a diamond
and
a scorpion …
a symbol of strength and resistance
a reference to the sharp intellect of the duchess
a threat, a promise of of revenge to anyone who might dare
attack its owner
Raphael
Portrait of Elisabetta Gonzaga
Portrait d'Elisabetta Gonzaga
1504-1505

93. the pendant
small emerald indicates chastity
ruby, represent strength
sapphire, purity
pearl, symbol of marital fidelity.
the ring
a diamond on the index finger of the left hand symbolizes the tenacity
and the pride in the marital unity
Raphael
Portrait of Maddalena Strozzi
Portrait de Maddalena Strozzi
1506

97. Pierantonio Baroncelli
the gold cross, diamonds, pear shaped pearls ...
a reference to the faith and adamantine tenacity
Maria Bonciani
a small jewel with a pearl hanging down,
possibly a reference to the Virgin
a coral rosary with a pendant in the shape of an
Agnus dei
a lavish necklace with pearls
The Master of the Baroncelli Portraits
Maître des portraits Baroncelli
Portrait of Pierantonio Baroncelli and Maria Bonciani
Portrait de Pierantonio Baroncelli et de son épouse Maria
Bonciani
1489

102. courtier and right-hand man of King Henry VIII,
decorated with
a chain
and
a hat pin or einsegne with a cameo bearing the design
of a black woman with exotic headgear featuring black
bands and gold
Hans Holbein the Younger
Portrait of Sir Richard Southwell
Portrait de Sir Richard Southwell
1536

103. Richard Southwell took part in the final questioning of
the humanist philosopher Thomas More, accused of high
treason and sentenced to death ...
Southwell’s hat pin is a reference to that event,
expressed using a play on words:
the subject of the cameo, a black moor, was reminiscent
of the sound and spelling of Thomas More’s surname,
at the time Moor
Hans Holbein the Younger
Portrait of Sir Richard Southwell
Portrait de Sir Richard Southwell
1536

107. olga_oes
Jewels in the Uffizi
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