Durer's Venetian Lady 1505- A Necklace

Albrecht Durer, Portrait of a Young Venetian Woman, 1505

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portrait_of_a_Venetian_Woman#/media/File:Albrecht_D%C3%BCrer_089b.jpg

It is my understanding that this painting was produced on Albrecht Durer's visit to Venice in 1505, while he was studying the artistic techniques his Venetian contemporaries were using at the time. While the multiple rows of pearls can look intimidating, reproducing this necklace with modern jewelry making supplies is quite easy. I have strung this with silk thread, as it would have likely been at the time, but found it hear breaking when I eventually had a stand snap and I lost several tiny pearls. Empty plastic water bottles can be a great way to store broken necklaces waiting to be restrung in a pinch.

I made one of these for a silent auction to benefit a friend.

Materials:

- Nylon coated metal beading cable, a bit more than twice your finished length.

- Needle nose pliers

- Wire cutters

- 4 crimping beads

- Necklace closure of your choice.

- Black glass bi-cone beads

- 4 mm pearls

-Bead Reamer

Directions:

Cut 2 lengths of beading cable and attach to one side of closure with 1 crimping bead per cable and your pliers.
Thread 4 seed pearls on to each cable, using bead reamer to widen holes of pearls if necessary. These pearls should enclose the tails of your cables being attached to the closure.
Thread both cables through 1 bi-cone bead, and then 4 seed pearls onto each cable separately. Repeat this process until necklace is desired length.
Once necklace is the correct length, add 1 crimp bead per strand and secure stand to closure using crimp beads and pliers. Sometimes it is easier to threat the cable back through beads before closing crimping bead.
Trim away an excess beading cable with wire cutters.
Go enjoy your necklace!

My recreation with modern methods.

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