Pietra dura – mosaic from Florence

Throughout the whole of the 19th century, jewellery art was dominated by Italian styles. In the north of Italy, for example, mosaic jewellery was made, which became very popular. The Venetian mosaic consisted of small pieces of glass, whilst the Florentine mosaic used different-coloured stones that had been cut to shape and set against a black base, which is called a Pietra Dura. Wilhelmina owned a complete set of Pietra Dura jewellery: bracelet, pendant, brooch with appendage and hairpins.