Metropolitan Jewelry, by Sophie McConnell, 1991
This beautiful volume takes readers on a very special tour of The
Metropolitan Museum of Art, highlighting wonderful pieces of jewelry
from ancient and modern cultures in every part of the world. Of
special interest are the fabulous objects that appear in paintings
and other works of art. Jewel-studded gowns; glittering Renaissance
brooches; an Egyptian beaded collar; a portrait of Saint Eligius,
patron saint of goldsmiths, as he weighs a gold wedding band; and a
portrait of Empress Eugenie wearing her famous pearls are among the
featured works from the Museum’s vast collections. Necklaces,
earrings, rings, and bracelets abound in this lively book, but also
included are objects of religious significance, military honors, and
other kinds of personal decoration. The jewelry pieces that survive
offer a magical sense of the people who wore them and of the world
they inhabited. The captions relate anecdotes concerning the artists
and wearers and describe the history and style of the jewelry
pictured. Art historians, jewelry makers, graphic and theatrical
designers, and anyone who wears, collects, or admires magnificent
jewelry will be fascinated by the sumptuous array in this book.
Sophie McConnell, formerly managing editor of Viking Studio Books
and associate director of the American Institute of Graphic Arts, is
a jewelry maker and silversmith. Alvin Grossman, who conceived the
design for this book, is the recipient of many awards in the field
of graphic design.
File Size: 37.3MB, 118Pages