Georges Braque Brooch

Georges Braque was born in Argenteuil, France, in 1882. Braque lived much of his childhood and young adult life in Le Havre. He attended night classes at the art school from 1897–99 and then moved to Paris, where he obtained his license as a master decorator. From 1905–06, after studying at École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and having been influenced by the works of Henri Matisse, he began to paint in the way of Fauvism by using bright colors and taking advantage of the freedom of the composition. Paysage à L'Estaque (1906) was one of the prominent works of art made at this time.

The year 1907 was a significant time in Braque's development, wherein he visited the retrospective on Paul Cézanne and he came into contact with Picasso, who was very engrossed in the realization of Les Demoiselles d'Avignon at the time. At this point, Braque began nurturing a considerable interest in primitive art. After the First World War, Braque worked autonomously and developed a more personal style, which was characterized by vivid colors and textured surfaces. Braque painted still life, interior views, and ocean scenes. The Ateliers (1948–55) and Birds (1955–63) series were painted during this period. In 1948, he obtained his first award for painting at the XXIV Biennial in Venice.

Antique and vintage brooches, which are decorative jewels traditionally pinned to garments and used to fasten pieces of clothing together where needed, have seen increasing popularity in recent years.

Given their long history, brooches have expectedly taken on a variety of different shapes and forms over time, with jewelers turning to assorted methods of ornamentation for these accessories, including enameling and the integration of pearls and gemstones.

Cameo brooches that originated during the Victorian age are characterized by a shell carved in raised relief that feature portraits of a woman’s profile, while 19th-century micromosaic brooches, comprising innumerable individually placed glass fragments, sometimes feature miniature depictions of a pastoral scene in daily Roman life.

At one time, brooches were symbols of wealth, made primarily from the finest metals and showcasing exquisite precious gemstones. Today, these jewels are inclusive and universal, and you don’t have to travel very far to find an admirer of brooches. They can be richly geometric in form, such as the ornate diamond pins dating from the Art Deco era, or designer-specific, such as the celebrated naturalistic works created by Tiffany & Co., the milk glass and gold confections crafted by Trifari or handmade vintage Chanel brooches of silk or laminated sheer fabric.

Brooches are versatile and adaptable. These decorative accessories can be worn in your hair, on hats, scarves and on the lower point of V-neck clothing. Pin a dazzling brooch to the lapel of your blazer-and-tee combo or add a cluster of smaller pins to your overcoat. And while brooches have their place in “mourning jewelry,” in that a mourning brooch is representative of your connection to a lost loved one, they’re widely seen as romantic and symbolic of love, so much so that a hardcore brooch enthusiast might advocate for brooches to be worn over the heart.

Today, find a wide variety of antique and vintage brooches on 1stDibs, including gold brooches, sapphire brooches and more.