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The Pearl Girls create all of our jewelry and designs at our shop in Athens, GA. We also have a huge reknot and repair department. People all over the world ship us their pearls and beaded jewelry to reknot, repair or create into a new design. Along with our passion for pearls, we are passionate about creating jobs right here in our home base in Athens, GA. We provide many perks to our staff including childcare for our hardworking mothers! Thank you for supporting us so we can continue supporting others. And thanks for sharing in our passion!

John Michael Wright's Pearl Necklace

Thu, Apr 22, 2021 | Pearl Blog

John Michael Wright was a baroque portrait painter. Born in London in 1617, he was trained in Scotland by painter George Jamesone and went on to spend much of his career in Rome, Italy. He was admitted to the Accademia di San Luca (Academy of Saint Luke), an association of artists in Rome. It was there he really made a name for himself, rubbing elbows with some of the leading artists of the time.  He returned to England in 1656 and became the go-to portrait painter for the rich and noble.

Reviewing his art, especially his English portraits, there is one theme that repeats itself. The Pearl Necklace! Mr. Wright paints a majority of his subjects in a choker style pearl necklace. Did he possess this necklace and ask his subjects to wear it or did he just add it to the portraits? I would love to know the story behind John Michael Wright's pearl necklace. Take a look at the many women wearing this necklace.

[caption id="attachment_3315" align="aligncenter" width="474"]John-Michael-Wright-British-artist-1617-1694-Unknown-Woman-c-1660 Unknown-Woman (c) National Trust, Blickling Hall; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption][caption id="attachment_3316" align="aligncenter" width="446"]John-Michael-Wright-British-artist-1617-1694-or-after-him-Elizabeth-Washington-Lady-Ferrers-as-Minerva Elizabeth Washington Lady Ferrers as Minerva (c) National Trust, Sudbury Hall; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption][caption id="attachment_3317" align="aligncenter" width="428"]John-Michael-Wright-British-artist-1617-1694-attributed-to...-Lady-Anne-Bruce-Daughter-of-2nd-Earl-of-Elgin-Robert-Bruce Lady Anne Bruce Daughter of 2nd Earl of Elgin Robert Bruce (c) Historic Scotland, Edinburgh; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption][caption id="attachment_3318" align="aligncenter" width="440"]John-Michael-Wright-British-artist-1617-1694-after-his-style...-Mary-Wilbraham-Countess-Bradford-c-1673-77 Mary Wilbraham Countess Bradford; National Trust; (c) Chirk Castle; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption][caption id="attachment_3319" align="aligncenter" width="444"]John-Michael-Wright-British-artist-1617-1694-Mrs-Edward-Onley Mrs Edward Onley (c) National Trust, Sudbury Hall; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption][caption id="attachment_3320" align="aligncenter" width="420"]John Michael Wright (British artist, 1617-1694) Miss Butterworth of Belfield Hall 1650-70 Miss Butterworth of Belfield Hall (c) Rochdale Arts & Heritage Service; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption][caption id="attachment_3321" align="aligncenter" width="400"]John Michael Wright (British artist, 1617-1694) Miss Butterworth of Belfield Hall 1650-70 2 Miss Butterworth of Belfield Hall (c) Rochdale Arts & Heritage Service; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption][caption id="attachment_3322" align="aligncenter" width="473"]John-Michael-Wright-British-artist-1617-1694-Mary-Spencer-Lady-Arundell-of-Wardour-1662-65 Mary Spencer Lady Arundell of Wardour; (c) Trerice; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption][caption id="attachment_3323" align="aligncenter" width="452"]John-Michael-Wright-British-artist-1617-1694-Mary-Scrope-the-Honourable-Mrs-Henry-Arundell Mary Scrope the Honourable Mrs Henry Arundell; (c) Trerice; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption][caption id="attachment_3324" align="aligncenter" width="473"]John-Michael-Wright-British-artist-1617-1694-Mary-Bagot-Countess-of-Dorset Mary Bagot Countess of Dorset (c) The Holburne Museum; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption][caption id="attachment_3325" align="aligncenter" width="454"]John-Michael-Wright-British-artist-1617-1694-Margaret-Onley-Mrs-George-Vernon Margaret Onley Mrs George Vernon(c) National Trust, Sudbury Hall; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption][caption id="attachment_3326" align="aligncenter" width="456"]John Michael Wright (British artist, 1617-1694) Magdalen Aston, Lady Burdett 1669 Magdalen Aston, Lady Burdett (c) Nottingham City Museums and Galleries; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption][caption id="attachment_3327" align="aligncenter" width="407"]John-Michael-Wright-British-artist-1617-1694-Johanna-St-John-Wife-of-Sir-Walter-St-John-3rd Johanna St John Wife of Sir Walter St John 3rd(c) Lydiard House; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption][caption id="attachment_3328" align="aligncenter" width="449"]John-Michael-Wright-British-artist-1617-1694-Francisca-Posthuma-Legh-Lady-Richard-Brooke Francisca Posthuma Legh Lady Richard Brooke (c) National Trust, Lyme Park; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption][caption id="attachment_3329" align="aligncenter" width="449"]John Michael Wright (British artist, 1617-1694) Elizabeth Claypole, nee Cromwell c 1658 Elizabeth Claypole (c) National Portrait Gallery, London; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption][caption id="attachment_3330" align="aligncenter" width="437"]John-Michael-Wright-British-artist-1617-1694-copy-of...-Grace-Wilbraham-Countess-of-Dysart Grace-Wilbraham-Countess-of-Dysart; National Trust; (c) Chirk Castle; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption][caption id="attachment_3331" align="aligncenter" width="596"]John Michael Wright (British artist, 1617-1694) Barbara Palmer, nee Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland 1670 Barbara Palmer, nee Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland 1670 (c) National Portrait Gallery, London; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation[/caption]
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