Spring Break
A journey through five millennia of jewelry
Issue date: 11/20/08
Another highlight of the exhibit is its trio of Jewish marriage rings from Middle and Eastern Europe from the 17th and 18th centuries. The rings are elaborately constructed out of gold to form floral patterns. Two of them also contain a small gabled building on top, representing figuratively Solomon's Temple or a synagogue, or metaphorically the couple's marriage, as newlyweds are compared to a building in the Torah.
Fast-forward to the 20th century, and we get an exquisite Tiffany's iris corsage ornament made of gold, silver, platinum, sapphires, diamonds, topaz and demantoid gernets. Produced in 1900, the piece was showcased and won the grand prize of the jury at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. At nine and a half inches, it is formed with a gold stem, three small leaves set with green demantoid garnets and six large petals set with 139 sapphires, diamonds in platinum ribs and citrines of the three drooping pedals.
The pieces chosen reveal the wide varieties and changing meanings of jewelry through 5,000 years of creativity. Unfortunately, the exhibit does not feature contemporary works. With this obvious gap in the story of jewelry, the exhibit does not live up to its full potential, leaving it extensive rather than comprehensive. After a journey of 5,000 years, would 50 more be too much?
Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry will be on display at the Walters Art Museum through Jan. 4, 2009.
Fast-forward to the 20th century, and we get an exquisite Tiffany's iris corsage ornament made of gold, silver, platinum, sapphires, diamonds, topaz and demantoid gernets. Produced in 1900, the piece was showcased and won the grand prize of the jury at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. At nine and a half inches, it is formed with a gold stem, three small leaves set with green demantoid garnets and six large petals set with 139 sapphires, diamonds in platinum ribs and citrines of the three drooping pedals.
The pieces chosen reveal the wide varieties and changing meanings of jewelry through 5,000 years of creativity. Unfortunately, the exhibit does not feature contemporary works. With this obvious gap in the story of jewelry, the exhibit does not live up to its full potential, leaving it extensive rather than comprehensive. After a journey of 5,000 years, would 50 more be too much?
Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry will be on display at the Walters Art Museum through Jan. 4, 2009.
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