Jasmine bud necklace

Historical period(s)
late 19th-early 20th century
Medium
Gold and red semi-precious stones
Dimensions
H (overall): 92 cm (36 1/4 in)
Geography
India, Tamil Nadu state
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment and funds provided by Rajinder K. Keith and Narinder K. Keith
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1990.4
On View Location
Freer Gallery 01: Body Image: Arts of the Indian Subcontinent
Classification(s)
Jewelry and Ornament, Metalwork
Type

Necklace

Keywords
India
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Label

This unusually large necklace reproduces in gold a garland of closed jasmine buds, each adorned with a semiprecious stone. A necklace of this size, weighing over a pound (456 grams), would have been a valuable part of a bride's dowry, or a special offering to a temple image.

Published References
  • Dr. Carol R. Bolon, Amita Sarin. Metaphors in Gold: The Jewelry of India. vol. 6, no. 4 New York, Fall 1993. pp. 22-23, fig. 5.
Collection Area(s)
South Asian and Himalayan Art
Web Resources
Whistler's Neighborhood
Google Cultural Institute
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