Jarrn Lovers Eyes

In 1785, when Maria Anne Fitzherbert opened a love letter from her admirer, Prince George of Wales, she did not expect to find an eye staring back at her. They had fallen in love, but their courtship had been disastrous. Royal laws forbade a Catholic widow to become a monarch. The prince was determined to marry her, however, and sent her a letter containing a rare and fascinating gift—a miniature depicting only George’s own right eye. Thus miniature eyes, also known as lover’s eyes, appeared all over Britain for nearly half a century. As with the royal couple, most were commissioned as gifts expressing devotion between loved ones. All were intimate and extremely precious, always meant to be kept in pockets or pinned close to the heart. This fascinating tradition is what inspired the Lovers Eyes collection, and has brought it into the 21st century in functional objects that seem to be looking at us attentively. In this case, a vase featuring an eye engraved in detail on the porcelain. For its decoration, a combination of intense Saxony blue and golden lustre on white porcelain was chosen. A creation full of meaning, functional and hypnotic.