No. 2 Lover's Eye Watercolor Archival Print

An archival giclée print of an original watercolor painting of a Georgian Lover’s Eye brooch. The original brooch is in the Victoria & Albert Museum: its surround of (paste) amethysts was thought to express constancy and calm devotion, while the soft violet hue linked it to modesty and sincerity. 8" × 8".

THE HISTORY: Lover's Eyes were a jewelry trend c.1785-1830 of brooches set with tiny watercolor portraits on ivory. Since they were cropped to eyes, they were in many ways more direct and intimate than traditional miniature portraits; but also because they were just eyes, they were often used as daring public testimonies of clandestine love affairs with mystery lovers.