Lecture: the Secret Language of Jewellery in Art With Stella Grace Lyons

We know that rubies can symbolise love and sacrifice, emeralds suggest truth and fidelity, and diamonds are a 'girl's best friend'...
But why would someone wear a dead weasel with a jewel-encrusted mask?In the portraits of Art History, jewellery was rarely chosen simply for its beauty. A ring, necklace, gemstone or curious adornment could carry a secret message, revealing love, status, wealth, faith, mourning or political power.Join us for a fascinating exploration of jewellery in some of the most celebrated portraits of the 15th to 17th centuries, uncovering the stories and symbolism hidden in plain sight.This special lecture coincides with the publication of Stella's new book, The Secret Language of Jewellery in Art, with copies available to purchase on the evening.About the speaker:Stella Grace Lyons is an acclaimed freelance Art History lecturer, speaker and writer accredited with The Arts Society. She has lectured across the UK, Ireland, Spain, Norway, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Malta and Malaysia.Stella gained her BA in the History of Art with a 1st class in her dissertation from the University of Bristol and her MA in History of Art from the University of Warwick. She spent a year studying Renaissance art in Italy at the British Institute of Florence and three months studying Venetian art in Venice.In addition, she attended drawing classes at the prestigious Charles H. Cecil studios in Florence, a private atelier that follows a curriculum based on the leading ateliers of nineteenth-century Paris.