In the second half of the nineteenth century, European jewelers found inspiration in ancient jewelry found during the excavations of Pompeii, in Etruscan tombs, in the finds of Heinrich Schliemann and other archaeologists. These stunning works of art sparked a surge of interest in ancient gold processing techniques, and goldsmiths such as Fortunato Pio Castellani, Eugene Fontenay and Ernesto Pierre began creating jewelry influenced by these discoveries.
Ernesto Pierre (1824-1898), a Frenchman active in Italy, was a contemporary of Castellani and one of the best jewelry artists in Rome at the time. Pierre was born in Paris, but in his youth he moved to Rome, where he studied to become a jeweler. He is known for his work in an archaeological style with high quality mosaics, enamel, gems and ancient coins. John Murray, in his guide to Rome published in 1853, called Pierre one of the “finest jewelers of Rome, second only to Castellani.”
Pierret’s work is often compared to that of Castellani due to the similarity of style, technique and high quality of work. Historians even believe that Pierre worked for some time for Castellani, a recognized master of archaeological style, who had branches of the company in Rome and London. Pierre did not achieve the same international fame as Castellani. He was exhibited much less frequently, rarely outside of Italy, and his prices were noted as “more moderate” than Castellani’s. And this, ironically, was a disadvantage, since the status of a jeweler was directly related to the wealth of his clients.
In 1846, Pierre opened his own workshop at 31 Piazza di Florence. After marrying Virginia Crespi, the daughter of a papal lawyer, he acquired a clientele in the circles of the high clergy. Roman nobility and connoisseurs of antiquities. He bought a beautiful Renaissance palazzo in the center of the jewelry and art district at 20 Piazza di Spagna, near the famous Spanish Steps. He renovated the building, adding a fourth floor and a panoramic terrace, and moved his family and business here. Today the palazzo is a national treasure, an important historical building in Rome and is called Palazzo Pierre. His name can still be seen above the entrance, and his work can be found in many famous museums around the world.