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Jewelry Gallery
The National Jewelry Institute’s Masterpieces of Ancient Jewelry: Exquisite Objects from the Cradle of Civilization provides an intimate encounter with the society and culture of the Ancient Near East: Mesopotamia, the Levant, Persia, Byzantium and Islam, as characterized by their craft. Simple in their design, modest in their materials — yet sophisticated in their execution — the jewels in this exhibition provide a portal to a time of the world’s first kings, fortunes, cities, political clashes and religions. Many of the techniques have survived for ages; granulation (the process of affixing small gold balls to a gold surface); filigree; engraving; and fusion welding. Whether employed for trade and commerce, to denote social order, worn for ceremonial or personal adornment, or wielded for protection, these small treasures draw out the most fundamental elements of societal organization and culture. Featuring over one hundred twenty jewelry objects and accessories from the far reaches of history and the birthplace of civilization, the collection includes important pieces from the Musée du Louvre in Paris, the Vorderasiatisches Museum in Berlin, The Israel Museum in Jerusalem, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Princeton University Art Museum. In the spirit of the National Jewelry Institute’s mission to promote the field of fine jewelry, objects in the show will be on loan at The Field Museum in Chicago from February 13 — July 5, 2009.
The National Jewelry Institute, a non-profit organization, is the first jewelry institute in America founded with the mission of preserving and educating the public about fine jewelry as art objects. For more information about the National Jewelry Institute please visit www.nationaljewelryinstitute.org. This exhibition would not have been possible without the generous support of our corporate partners: | |||||
