7/17 Victoria & Albert Museum - Casts and the Jewelry Collection, London

I am back in the USA, and I am still working to keep up on the last few posting for this UK blog.  It has been a long day, but I will squeeze in this last post before I go to bed.

The Victoria and Albert Museum was founded in1852 as a result of the Great Exhibition of 1851, which was intended to support British industrial design and to bring art to the working class. Some of the original exhibits from that Great Exhibition came here after the exhibition closed, but the collections housed here continue the intentions of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to promote art among the masses.  

Much like the very large British Museum, you really cannot see all of this place in one visit, so over several trips to the U.K., I have tried to focus on only one area during each visit.  This time, I focused on the incredible jewelry exhibit.

I actually visited this on two separate days, and this first day was HOT, so quite a few children were enjoying this pond in the central courtyard.  

    

 Some of the detail that references the original manufacturing design museum.  

The photo below is of what is called "The Cast Room."  Victoria and Albert knew that very few of the citizens of Great Britain would ever be able to afford to visit Greece and Rome, so they brought it to them by having select items from those countries copied by making casts of the originals.  

  

 

 

Now to the small, but packed with history and some of the artists' jewelry pieces that made history.  I liked this circle of rings because it came with a documentation that ased stones in the specific rings. 

 

 

 

 

I spent about an hour-and-a-half in this jewelry collection on this day, but it is also very worthwhile to see the huge rooms full of sterling silver if you ever are here and have an extra hour or two.  Note that there is a small second floor, so don't miss a brief climb on this stairway.  

 

 

 The next few photos show just a sample of this jewelry collection!  I can't possibly explain them all!

 

 

The crown shown in the middle belonged to Queen Victoria.  

 

 

The description below shows us which Pope's wore the following huge rings! The rings on each side, by the way, are about 2" tall and must have been horribly heavy. 

 

 

This museum also has a terrific museum shop and has several other great galleries, so don't skip this if you ever go to London.  There is no entry fee, so it is easy to pop in for just an extra hour or two.