Russian Dragonfly Pin

DESCRIPTION

The Metropolitan Museum’s Russian Dragonfly Pin is a sparkling adaptation of a whimsical brooch of platinum, diamonds, emeralds, and a pearl on display in the Moscow Kremlin Museums. This brooch embodies the popularity of insect motifs with jewelers from the early twentieth century.

Produced in cooperation with the Moscow Kremlin Museums.

22K gold and silver overlay, with Swarovski™ crystals and a cultured freshwater pearl. Hand enameled, with polished finish. 2 1/4''L x 3''W.

ART HISTORY

Creating butterflies, beetles, dragonflies and other insects challenged Russian jewelers of the twentieth century to match whimsy with technical skill, as they produced realistic re-creations of nature in combinations of precious metals and stones. In the original dragonfly brooch, the platinum wings are covered with rose-cut diamonds in lacy plique-à-jour mountings to create the illusion of transparency. The insect's gold body contains a single large pearl, while emeralds from the Ural Mountains form its eyes and tail.