The Not-So-Venetian Quatrefoil: The Deep History of the Central Motif of a David Yurman Collection

Image Credit: David Yurman and The Mama Report

So, yes, while David Yurman advertising copy claims that The Venetian Quatrefoil Collection was "inspired by the intricate patterns of Venice's unique stonework, and the harmony of form and structure that is the essence of the city's architecture," let's be real: At the heart of the collection is a singular, fairly ancient motif--the quatrefoil.

What is a quatrefoil, and what is its heritage, you ask? Roman Mars at 99% Invisible has an entire podcast episode devoted to answering those questions, but if you don't have seventeen minutes to invest at the moment in getting answers, here's the gist of it in five fast bullet points:

• The quatrefoil is, in its simplest form, something of a flattened four-leaf clover. It looks like this:

Image Credit: wikipedia

        

• Its origin remains something of a mystery. It is believed to have its source, however, in Islamic art as that is the general rule for organic-looking geometric shapes.

• The quatrefoil then likely migrated to Europe via silk-road fabrics and, from there, the world.

• The "fanciness" of the motif likely stems from the original difficulty of production of the shape in stone architecture.

• Today, many a luxury brand wants a piece. Louis Vuitton was litigated over its use of the quatrefoil, David Yurman has copyrighted the name "Venetian Quatrefoil," and Van Cleef and Arpels will evidently sue anyone who attempts to recreate the "iconic" look of its Alhambra Collection, which is distinguished by its use of (and perhaps over-reliance on) quatrefoil. 

Image Credit: Van Cleef and Arpels

Now that you know the background, dear reader, tell me: Do you like The Venetian Quatrefoil Collection more or less? Me, I won't adorn with anything that doesn't have special significance, and so my adoration of the collection grew upon learning the motif's background. 

(I should rightly declare, however, that I've been a big fan of the line ever since its launch back in the summer of '14. Not only is it one of DY's few all-gold collections, Venetian Quatrefoil is nigh-unmatched in its quiet elegance.)

A big thanks goes to 99% Invisible for having provided the research that fueled this post.