Art Jewelry Inspired by The Met Collection
We’re delighted to unveil new eye-catching jewelry reimagining the storied, centuries-old motif known as the Tudor rose.
The collection comprises a statement-making double-strand pearl necklace, and two styles of earrings—a pair of outfit-defining drop earrings and a pair of stylish studs—all featuring a Tudor rose motif from The Met collection.
These adornments bring to life a late 19th–early 20th-century Tudor rose design for an ecclesiastical embroidery by Ernest Geldart (British, 1848–1929), now in the Museum's holdings of drawings and prints.
Geldart was a priest and architect during the Gothic Revival, a Victorian movement to revitalize the styles and tenets of medieval architecture. The keystone of the Gothic Revival was a moral ethos of artisanship over mass production, but it likewise resurrected medieval design elements.
A Brief History of the Tudor Rose
The Tudor rose is a medieval motif uniting the emblems of two families—the red rose of the House of Lancaster and the white rose of the House of York—who vied for the English throne in the 15th century. The so-called Wars of the Roses ended with the coronation of the Lancastrian Henry Tudor (also known as Henry VII); however, as a gesture of peace, he married the daughter of the late Yorkist king Richard III. The iconic Tudor rose, bearing five red and five white petals in tribute to the families’ union, became his dynasty’s badge.
Tudor roses decorate several treasures in The Met collection. One of the most prominent works bearing the Tudor rose is George Clifford’s remarkably well preserved armor garniture, forged in the royal workshops at Greenwich under the direction of master armorer Jacob Halder (British, documented 1558–1608) in 1586.
Clifford was the Third Earl of Cumberland and an illustrious Knight of the Garter as of 1592. Beloved by Queen Elizabeth I (r. 1558–1603), Clifford requested that his armor garniture bear the Tudor rose (the queen’s family emblem) among other symbols of the crown.
In the Museum’s European Sculpture and Decorative Arts collection is a fabulous late 15th–early 16th-century Florentine furnishing textile bearing a double Tudor rose pattern. These sumptuous velvet wall hangings were beloved by the Tudor king Henry VII and his successors, who were among the most skilled Italian weavers’ international clientele.
The Tudor rose even made its way to America, as exemplified in this early 18th-century chest-on-frame likely crafted in Connecticut.
Unique Gifts for Her
Our Tudor Rose Jewelry reconceptualizes this timeless emblem with brilliant blue hand-painted enamel and lapis. Shop the collection at The Met Store and online.
