Published on : Monday, July 29, 2019
The southern European country of Portugal keeps popping up as a hot travel destination – and with good reason! Portugal is not only a warm and sunny country with everything from vast mountains to a sprawling coastline, but the country is also extremely rich in design, architecture, luxury, craftsmanship, restaurants, hotels, gastronomy, and the finest wine. And when it comes to design and craftsmanship Portugal offers the most incredible artisans and craftsman who use traditional techniques rooted in the country’s past and beautifully carried into the future. One of the country’s most notable traditional craft’s is the art of filigree. An art form which jewelry-inspired luxury decor brand KOKET taps into beautifully in a number of their stunning designs.
Filigree is a delicate form of metalwork, usually gold or silver, made with tiny beads or twisted threads, or a combination of the two, soldered together or to the surface of an object of the same metal and arranged in artistic motifs. The English word filigree is shortened from the earlier use of filigree which derives from Latin “filum” meaning thread and “granum” grain, in the sense of small bead.
Often suggestive of lace and most commonly used in the creation of jewelry this intricate craft dates all the way back to 3,000 BCE in Southwest Asia. The traditional art form of filigree was commonly practiced throughout history in the Middle East, Kosovo, Albania, and Turkey as well as in Egypt and India, all places who continue to work with the art form to this day. Other historic places where ancient filigree objects have been uncovered include Phoenician sites in Cyprus and Sardinia, which is how historians believe filigree made its way to mainland European cities such as Porto, Portugal.
Filigree jewelry has been present in a variety of European cultures since medieval history, and while it has largely declined or even died out in most places, in northern Portugal in areas such as Porto it has remained an integral part of contemporary culture. And while it is possible to still find examples of filigree in other European countries, Portugal remains the seminal location for high-quality filigree.
Given KOKET’s love of jewelry inspired design and their passion for supporting and preserving the craftsman in their home country of Portugal, the brand, of course, incorporated filigree into some of their alluring statement designs! The Nymph Sconce and Chandelier and the Euphoria Screen each feature delicate and whimsical filigree butterflies each handmade by local artisans using the traditional filigree art form. From these filigree details to exquisite sand casting, beautifully carved wood and beyond, the hands of the Portuguese artists who create KOKET’s designs are visible in each piece.
Tags: architecture, design, Filigree, KOKET, Nymph chandelier, Portugal heritage
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