ARTS: Artuklu Sanat ve Beşeri Bilimler Dergisi

Öz

It can be seen that, especially pearls and corals, among the precious stones that the nature present to humans as gifts, are frequently depicted in the European painting. These stones which are attractive with their beauty and luminosity, are adorning the canvases for various reasons. The aim of this study is to look at the history of European painting through the elegant world of jewelry and gemstones. It is interesting to see that pearls and corals have rich mythological and biblical connotations as well as being symbols of status and power. The time scope of the research is between 15th and 17. centuries because of the intensity of the pictures showing pearls and corals in the art historical periods of Renaissance and Baroque. Pearls are among the symbols of the love and beauty godddess Venus. It is possible to see pearls in the pictures that show the birth of Venüs in an oyster or Venus in front of a mirror. Egyptian queen Cleopatra, dropped a bead of pearl in her glass, in the banquet that she organized for Antonius. Painters who depicted the queens and royal ladies of Europe, showed them in rich jewellery decorated with pearls. In some works of art, pearls are interpreted as the sign of wordly pleasures and ambitions. Corals, believed to be protecting against the evil eye, can be seen in the paintings of young women and little children. Corals, with its strong color of red, are depicted in the compositions of Virgin Mary and Christ Child. In the Greek mythology, it is believed that Perseus created corals. Some artists, presented scenes of pearl or coral fishing on their canvases.