Dear friends,
There are so many things I love about vintage- the quality of craftsmanship, the diversity in designs, the new life we give to the objects we find and love. Maybe my favorite part of all, though, is the stories so many of these pieces tell. Some pieces carry a history of where they've been, who they belonged to, and some carry a story in their very design. The fantasy and storytelling of mythologies seems to go hand in hand with the spirit of vintage jewelry, and it's no surprise that many vintage lovers are also fans of mythological motifs.
Sunday Brunch: Myth & Magic
There are so many things I love about vintage- the quality of craftsmanship, the diversity in designs, the new life we give to the objects we find and love. Maybe my favorite part of all, though, is the stories so many of these pieces tell. Some pieces carry a history of where they've been, who they belonged to, and some carry a story in their very design. The fantasy and storytelling of mythologies seems to go hand in hand with the spirit of vintage jewelry, and it's no surprise that many vintage lovers are also fans of mythological motifs.
From Greek mythology, the Three Graces are Aglaea ("Shining"), Euphrosyne ("Joy"), and Thalia ("Blooming"), goddesses of charm, creativity, beauty, and goodwill. They are generally depicted young, lovely and nude, and have been an inspiration for many artists throughout history including Boticelli, Rubens, Canova and Picasso.
This ring features a teeny cameo carving of Hercules (also known as Heracles). Hercules was the son of Zeus, and is maybe best known for his Twelve Labours. He is shown here wearing the pelt of the Nemean lion, his first labour.
This necklace includes a depiction of an oni, a kind of demon who commonly featured as villains in Japanese fairytales. Oni usually had horns, were red, blue, or white as seen here, and carried clubs.
The concept of the Man in the Moon has been around for maybe as long as men have looked up at the moon, seeing themselves reflected in the seas and highlands of its surface. One of my favorite Man in the Moon moments may be his brief cameo in Le Voyage dans la Lune.
Mythology is a common subject for cameos. These two lovely Greco Roman brooches show scenics of Cupid, arbiter of love, and his mother Venus, the goddess of pleasure, love and beauty.
Here is the piece backlit to show the details of the carving and the stone.
European dragons are generally considered to be maleficent creatures (and not just in the Disney sense), breathing fire and guarding treasure and leaving trails of destruction in their wake. Asian dragons on the other hand are benevolent creatures, considered to be good luck and to bring prosperity.
A wyvern is a creature similar to a dragon with two legs (or no legs), usually with an arrow-shaped tail as seen here. They are an important symbol in Irish, English and Scottish heraldry. The most common distinction from the dragon (besides the fewer limbs) is that they usually breath frost or poison instead of fire.
The gorgons were hideous monsters with snakes for hair, the most famous of which was Medusa. In ancient Greece, the image of the gorgon was a common household decoration because it was thought to ward off evil.
In a more patriotic take on mythology, this pendant (long ago converted from a stickpin) shows Marianne, the personification of France. She represents liberty, equality, reason and was originally a symbol of opposition to the monarchy during the French Revolution.
The winged lion is found in many ancient and medieval cultures (though not usually looking this cute!). In modern times the winged lion is best known as the symbol of Venice, where the creatures have an especially prominent presence in Piazza San Marco.
Ozomatli was an Aztec monkey god, and a companion spirit to Xochipilli, the god of music and dance. He is associated with fun, art and games, and is often depicted in this festive, raise-the-roof posture.
And of course we cannot forget the mighty Kraken- terror of the seas, sinker of ships, that most sinister of cephalopods! The Kraken was a Norse sea monster, likely imagined after sightings of giant squids. It's doubtful any Norseman ever imagined the Kraken quite as cute and sparkly as this fun fellow, though.
Congratulations you have made it through that marathon of mythical beings and beasts! This was a long one, but there were just so many fun pieces to share and I had a really good time researching. Have a lovely week full of fantastic and magical adventures!
Stylishly yours,
Lara and the team