Home / Arts and Entertainment / Ancient Gold Secrets: Jewelry Reborn at the Frick
Ancient Gold Secrets: Jewelry Reborn at the Frick
12 Mar
Summary
- Goldsmith Donna Distefano recreates jewelry from Frick portraits.
- She uses ancient metalsmithing techniques, some dating to Etruscans.
- Distefano crafts replica jewelry with historically accurate methods.
At the Frick Collection, goldsmith Donna Distefano is breathing new life into historical jewelry. She meticulously crafts replica pieces inspired by portraits displayed in the museum, which recently reopened after a significant restoration.
Distefano employs ancient metalsmithing techniques, some dating as far back as the Etruscan civilization, to ensure her creations are authentic. This dedication to historical accuracy means she begins the process by fabricating her own gold, mirroring the practices of jewelers from centuries past.
Her "Off the Canvas" collection features exquisite reproductions, including a gold chain seen in Anthony van Dyck's "Genoese Noblewoman" and a ring depicted on Thomas Cromwell in Hans Holbein the Younger's portrait. These pieces not only replicate the visual appearance but also the very methods of their original creation.
