18k Gold Handcrafted in Greece by Maramenos & Pateras
The Shadow and Light Collection
has roots in the Geometric Period of Greek Art.
The Geometric Period occurred primarily during the Greek Dark Ages which is covered in detail on our page: "Art History: Geometric". If you are interested in the "etymology of style" for this collection we recommend taking a look at that page.
"Shadow and Light" (as perhaps the name suggests) can be seen as a spiritual exit from the Dark Ages, where the over-all style is adhered to, but the addition of diamonds, textures and shapes has been absorbed through the rebirth of Aegean architecture and spiritual influences.
At the core of "Shadow and Light" is the reflection of architectural styles found in the Southern Aegean. A key inspiration for the square shaped and large borders came from the Door to the Temple of Apollo found on the island of Naxos (shown here).
Construction started on the temple in 530 BC but was never finished. Although the Geometric Era had run its course, it is still easy to see its influence in the grand but simplistic nature of the architecture.
Another key element within the pieces is the play of lighting caused by deep elevation changes within the pieces. A more literal reason for the name "Shadow and Light"
A design element frequently found in Shadow and Light pieces is the "hinge" seen anchoring the bale of the Eastern Cross above and on the top and bottom of the earrings directly below.
The idea didn't come from a hinge at all, but rather a bolt lock like the one seen to the left.
The adaptation of industrial design and architecture is key to understanding the inspiration behind the Shadow and Light collection.
1088 AD:
To bolster the Eastern flank of the Byzantine Empire, a monk named Latrinos was placed in control of the island of Patmos. His first goal was not to build the fortress which now dominates the island, but to create a The Monastery of Saint John the Theologian (shown here).
The arches follow the engineering principals of the Romans (which the Byzantines considered themselves to be), but this also makes them a bit of an oddity in the Greek world, one that brought inspiration to Maramenos & Pateras in the form of the earrings above, and their spectacular bracelet below.
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