Antique Mirror Locket Pendant with Emeralds in Gold, c. 1900

The proud peacock is the heraldic animal of all those who value beauty as the highest good. This was confirmed not least by the Victorian artist and dandy James McNeill Whistler, who, together with the architect Thomas Jeckyll, conceived and realized the opus magnum of aestheticism in 1877: the room installation Harmony in Blue and Gold: The Peacock Room. Every detail has been carefully considered. Narrow, gilded walnut shelves on which Asian vases stand stretch out in front of blue and green walls. Whistler painted the walls with golden peacocks, the look of which was inspired by Japanese woodblock prints. This locket, whose lid is adorned with a golden peacock, is also in the same tradition - visually and ideally. The base of the lid is formed by an oval disc made of mother-of-pearl. The peacock is modeled in gold. Its plumage is adorned with emeralds, while its crest is made of diamonds. It sits on a branch that appears to emanate from a particularly large flower. It is probably a stylized sunflower, another emblem of Aestheticism: in the 1880s, Oscar Wilde chose the flower as another symbol of the then still young and rebellious art movement. The theme of the proud peacock is continued by the function of the locket, as it contains a mirror inside. Precious and ornate mirror lockets were worn at the turn of the century at the chatelaine for evening wear, alongside other beautiful yet useful items such as a powder locket, a case for dance cards and a small reticule. The unusual locket is beautifully preserved. Even today, it is a symbol of the celebration of beauty.

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