Necklace large shell

The scallop shell is an important decorative motif in the decorative arts of the 17th and, above all, the 18th centuries. During the Louis XIII and Louis XIV periods, the scallop shell already appeared in ornamentation, but it was generally incorporated into more symmetrical and classical compositions...

The scallop shell is an important decorative motif in the decorative arts of the 17th and, above all, the 18th centuries. During the Louis XIII and Louis XIV periods, the scallop shell already appeared in ornamentation, but it was generally incorporated into more symmetrical and classical compositions. It was often found on woodwork, in silverware, and on furniture, associated with marine or mythological themes: the scallop shell was an element within the Baroque decorative vocabulary. With the Louis XV style, the shell became one of the emblems of the Rocaille style, with its asymmetrical, curved, and dynamic forms, often combined with volutes, foliage, or aquatic motifs.