Wednesday, May 09, 2007
“Girl with a Pearl Earring," Johannes Vermeer (1665), Royal Cabinet of Paintings Mauritshuis, The Hague
1.A smooth, lustrous, variously colored deposit, chiefly calcium carbonate, formed around a grain of sand or other foreign matter in the shells of certain mollusks and valued as a gem.
2. One that is highly regarded for its beauty or value.
“Pearls symbolize Purity, Spiritual Transformation, Charity, Honesty, Wisdom and Integrity, all the best within us. Pearls provide a clear vehicle for the advancing states of wisdom, as well as a clean channel for receipt of spiritual guidance. Pearls can stimulate your femininity and help with self acceptance. They lift your spirits and make you feel calm and beautiful. They remind us to walk with Dignity." (link)
“The pearl is a lunar symbol, also representing water and woman. These primary meanings are seen on a universal scale, throughout mythology. They are attributes of angelic perfection, which is only achieved by transmutation, and not freely given. Pearls are rare, pure and precious, flawless and white despite being dredged from the mud, coming from a clumsy shell.” (link)
“Since ancient times, the pearl has been a symbol of unblemished perfection. It is the oldest known gem, and for centuries it was considered the most valuable. A fragment of the oldest known pearl jewelry, found in the sarcophagus of a Persian princess who died in 520 BC, is displayed in the Louvre in Paris. To the ancients, pearls were a symbol of the moon and had magical powers. In classical Rome, only persons above a certain rank were allowed to wear pearl jewelry. The Latin word for pearl literally means "unique", attesting to the fact that no two pearls are identical.” (link)
Find out more about pearls HERE