Head of a Young Woman 1756

Frans van der Mijn painted this portrait of a young woman in 1755. Her pearls are the primary focus of adornment, symbolizing purity and innocence. These lustrous gems carry a profound history. Pearls have been found in ancient Sumerian tombs and were prized by the Roman elite, who saw them as emblems of wealth and status. In Botticelli's "Birth of Venus," pearls adorn the goddess, symbolizing her divine perfection and connection to the sea. This association with purity and Venus, the goddess of love, has cemented pearls as symbols of femininity and grace. But the pearl's story doesn't end there. Coco Chanel, who always wore strings of pearls, democratized them, making them a staple for women of all classes. This democratization of pearls reveals a fascinating transformation—from symbols of aristocratic power to emblems of modern elegance. The persistence of the pearl speaks to its ability to transcend time, embodying a legacy of power, purity, and evolving cultural values.