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Marchioness of Londonderry at the Coronation of King William IV, 1831 portrait by Alexandre-Jean Dubois-Drahonet.

Jewels of Scandal & Desire: British Jewelry Collections and Country Houses

Lecture
Online
August 8, 2025 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. ET
This lecture will be recorded and made available following the live broadcast.
$15
Curt DiCamillo
10% Member Discount

Shimmering, captivating, and corrupting. Great jewels have dazzled people for millennia, their beauty and value producing respect, deception, love, and betrayal. Whether an enormous diamond, a jewel-encrusted heraldic pin, or an Order of the Garter Star, the language of jewels subtly, and sometimes ostentatiously, conveys a statement of power, position, and wealth. This lecture explores how the 18th and 19th century British ruling classes, modeling themselves on the ancient Roman Empire, used jewelry to reinforce their positions in society and awe their peers. The aristocratic families that owned these jewels, such as the Marquess of Londonderry, were at the pinnacle of British society. They hosted glittering soirées at their expansive country houses and grand London homes, where their jewels were shown off to great effect. British royals collected jewels for both state and private use; notable collectors included Queen Mary and Princess Margaret, who amassed collections of extraordinary tiaras, necklaces, and brooches. Curt DiCamillo will discuss the tales behind these noble families, their houses, and their jewels, all weaving together to create a glittering web of power and position.

Learning & Interpretation
Curt DiCamillo
Decorative Arts
Historic Houses
England
Curt is American Ancestor’s Curator of Fine Art. As part of the Education team, he curates American Ancestors' large art collection, lectures around the world, and hosts the celebrated American Ancestors Art & Architecture webinar series.