From Greek mythology to the original sin of the Bible, via ancient Egypt, the snake is a strong emblem in many cultures. Since the dawn of time, it has exerted a mysterious fascination on Man, based on an attraction-repulsion syndrome inseparable from the ambivalent symbolism of the animal. For the snake is linked to both life and death.

 

Gold and garnet snake necklace 

 

 Don't panic, we don't want to give you an exhaustive list of the occurrences of the snake and their meaning. But as we love stories at Galerie Pénélope we would like to share our favourites with you.

 

Who are these snakes hissing at your heads?

 The snake is quite well represented in Greek mythology, both in its positive connotation - it is the emblem of Asclepius, god of Medicine, but also camped on the caduceus of Hermes, which still represents the medical professions today - and in its negative connotation: we are rather well served in terms of ophidian hair (if you have more classic tastes, take a look at our selection of head jewellery).

 

 

The Gorgons, for example: these three hellish creatures have the power to petrify - in the literal sense, turn to stone - anyone who looks at them.

You probably know Medusa among the three sisters, who in the lottery of genetics is the only one to have drawn mortality and will be killed by Perseus. We would have liked to tell you the whole story - the mythology, one of the many loves of Penelope Gallery, but we like to talk to you about jewellery.
 

 

 

 

 

Trust, believe in me

 

If the snake motif has been seducing people since Antiquity, it came back to the forefront in the 19th century - you will definitely become unaware of this period. We won't repeat the article on theEgyptomaniaand you can also glean information from our post on the turquoise. The Victorian era was quite prudish and eager for allusions, and the symbolic snake is a choice motif. For example, biting its tail (ouroboros), it signifies eternal love. Victoria and Albert chose a snake with an emerald, the Queen's birthstone, as engagement ring in 1839.

 

 Queen Victoria engagement ring.

Much less consensual than Lady Diana's marguerite Lady Diana's daisy, it nevertheless contributed to the snake's popularity in the 1840s.

A typical necklace of the period consists of a blue enamelled ophidian head topped with diamonds (or turquoise for the more modest budgets) and ruby eyes. You're in luck, we've unearthed a similar one - period, of course; just for you.

 

 

Antique gold, enamel, pearl and diamond snake necklace

 

 Eventually the snake found itself rather in its element in the world of jewellery and decided to anchor itself there to become a timeless motif. And then, throughout the 20th century, the influence of the Egyptian fantasy on fashion never completely ceased, marked by key dates:

• The discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb in 1922, have you ever noticed the cobra on his burial mask?

• The American film Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor (another jewellery enthusiast) was released in 1963.

 Hans Makart, The Death of Cleopatra, 1875-76, Kassel, Neue Galerie.

 

Cleopatra VII, that sexy queen of Egypt! She committed suicide by letting herself be bitten by a snake concealed in a basket of fruit she had ordered herself (taking her maid in her wake - dead giveaway to Deliveroo). Her bewitching character, beyond seducing Caesar and Mark Antony, made her an icon of empowerment that continues to fascinate today.

 

"The serpent should be on every finger and all wrists and all everywhere!"

[The snake should be on every finger and every wrist and everywhere! We won't say otherwise, animals are a real passion for Galerie Penelope!

Maria Félix had an incredible necklace made by Cartier in 1968 with almost three thousand diamonds and enamelled on the inside so that it was completely reversible. The Mexican actress, known for her badass taste in jewellery, reportedly brought along some real models to copy.

 

 Maria Félix and her snake necklace.

 

Finally, if there's one jeweler's name to remember in this article, it's Bulgari and its Serpenti line, first launched in the 1960s. First as watches, then as necklaces and bracelets, the company revisited a technique known as "tubogas" - originally a ringed tube of articulated bands. Since then, Bulgari has continued to evolve both its technique and its line.

 

 

Now that you've had your fill of the fruit of knowledge, check out our full selection of jewellery in the drop-down menu on the right (or below for the mobile version).

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