Hebe, Goddess of Youth
18ct yellow gold (35.37g), handmade to order in Geneva (edition of 25)
Symbols: Eagle, Cup of Youth / Goblet, Grapes, Wings, Spring (cherry blossom)
Hebe was the Grecian goddess of youth and the prime of life, cupbearer for the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus, serving their nectar and ambrosia. In the north of Greece, she was worshipped as the goddess of forgiveness. Her story is connected to, and overlaid with, that of the mortal Ganymede, who it was said is transformed by Zeus into an eagle and transported to stand by his side as a cupbearer. Hebe herself was often given the ephithet Ganymeda (meaning "Gladdening Princess") and, like Ganymede himself, connected by her role as water bearer to the constellation of Aquarius.
The Goddess collection is inspired by the character and mythology of powerful Roman and Grecian legends, and the overlap into other forms of cultural and philosophical representation. Alice was inspired by the way that symbols in fine art would have been instantly recognisable for the narratives they represented, in a way that only experts schooled in art history would likely now recognise. Symbolism is such a powerful force in contemporary jewellery, and as an artist with strong female clients and collaborators, Alice wanted to explore characteristics that would be meaningful and enduring.
After a decade of working in meenakari enamel, an engraved process, Alice collaborated on this collection with Colombian goldsmith Juan Sebastian Galan Bello to create stories in repousse 18 carat yellow gold - from working inwards to working outwards. Juan realised in gold a series of illustrations created with Charlotte Gastaut, a Parisian illustrator working with brands such as Diptique and Hermes, and on the creation of her own fairytale narratives rendered in print and on silk.