Fabulous brooch in the Shape of a Florentine Lily with Rubies in Gold

The Florentine lily is one of the oldest and best-known urban symbols in Europe. Since the Middle Ages, it has been the emblem of the city of Florence - the heart of Tuscany, birthplace of the Renaissance and home to artists such as Dante, Michelangelo and Botticelli. Interestingly, botanically speaking, the lily is not actually a lily but is based on the Iris florentina, a white iris that still grows wild in the rolling hills of Tuscany around Florence. Although the stylized shape is reminiscent of a classic lily such as the fleur-de-lys, it differs in the characteristic stamens between the three upward curving petals. This antique brooch from this period shows the heraldic motif in a particularly luxurious version: around four carat rubies in old cuts are set in gold and form a flower of pink light. The rubies come from various locations, most of which are untreated stones from Burma. The entire surface is pavé-set with individually cut rubies. In the years in which this brooch was created, Florence was a special place of refuge for young Englishmen and women who wanted to escape the strict corset of late Victorian England. The city was regarded as a place of art, free thought and aesthetic self-expression. Intellectuals, artists and eccentrics in particular were drawn to the Tuscan metropolis, whose Renaissance architecture, rich culture and sensual lifestyle stood in stark contrast to the prudery and social control of their homeland. Florence offered space for non-conformist lifestyles, same-sex love, unconventional gender roles - or simply for the pursuit of a freer, more self-determined life. Writers and poets such as Vernon Lee (Violet Paget) and the young Oscar Wilde found inspiration and freedom here. The precious brooch, which was possibly created as a memento of a cherished stay in Florence, finally found its way to us from the north of Germany.

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