In place of traditional gallery labels, explore the different thematic sections of “Beyond Brilliance” below. Read more about each work of art by clicking on it.
Introduction
Love. Power. Politics. Remembrance. Desire. Art. Fashion. Aspiration. Jewelry tells many stories, but at its core, jewelry history is human history. It is among the earliest art forms with examples dating back more than 100,000 years. In this gallery, the oldest object was made 4,000 years ago, while the most recent left the workshop in 2024. The array of materials and the ingenuity on view is incredible, from shell and glass to gold and diamonds to plastic and hair—yet each work of art speaks to the deeply human desire to adorn our bodies.
Jewelry comes alive on the body, where it is simultaneously a decorative art, an object of adornment, and a silent messenger. This gallery is organized around these three ideas. Looking closely you can observe the fine details, imagine how it was worn, and consider the meaning it held in its time and culture. Ponder the many hands involved in making jewelry—the creativity of the designer, the technical mastery of the craftsperson, the skill of the lapidary who cut the gemstone—and the lifestyles of the people who lived with these objects.
Each ornament has its own story to share.
The Humble Bead
Made 4,000 years apart, these two necklaces share a main element that is fundamentally the same. The bead has been used in jewelry for more than 100,000 years and is a core feature of many jewelry designs across time and place. Joyce Scott's work elevates the material, taking on challenging subjects through narrative elements.
A1
Wesekh broadcollar, 2246–2152 BCE
A2
Joyce J. Scott, Adam and Eve, 1985
The Lure of Gems
Arriving from the depths of the earth, gemstones are prized in cultures around the globe. This enormous rock crystal ball, mined and polished in Japan, was believed to be the world’s largest specimen when the MFA acquired it in 1893. In Japan, crystal balls are associated with dragons chasing light from the depths of the sea, which inspired the design for this silver stand.
A3
Crystal sphere (now with silver stand 03.1880), 1884
A4
Suzuki Chôkichi, stand in form of waves, about 1900-1903
Jewelry is…
These six objects are presented to showcase the variety of the collection and offer different ways of thinking about jewelry. Jewelry is art—it may be dazzling and fantastical or deeply personal and historically significant. In each instance, the piece was designed to come alive on the body.
A5
A6
Wallace Chan, Forever Dancing - Bright Star, 2013
A7
Natural pearl and diamond necklace, c. 1880
A8
Juliette Moutard, starfish brooch, 1937
A9
Art Smith, Ellington necklace, about 1958
A10
Earring with Nike driving a two-horse chariot, about 350–325 BCE
Decorative Art
A critical art form, jewelry reflects the styles of its day. The objects that surround you demonstrate the deep connection between artistic expression and jewelry. Each exhibits extraordinary craftsmanship and a mastery of materials, including glass micromosaic, gold, enamel, even plastics. Some were designed and made by a jewelry artist, but others were created by individuals better known as photographers, sculptors, and architects. Some were treasures collected on adventures like the Grand Tour, and others were made to be exhibited in art galleries. What these objects have in common is that, when they were made, they expressed new ideas about art, culture, and innovation that were connected to larger global art movements. Wearing jewelry like this was—and continues to be—a way to bring one’s art interests out of the private home and into the public sphere.
Past is Present
There is a long history of artists looking back in time. The 19th century in particular gave rise to an eclecticism that drew inspiration from antiquity to the Renaissance. Working a century apart, Castellani and Miller each rediscovered a long forgotten goldsmithing technique known as granulation.
B1
John Paul Miller, Polyp Colony, 1995
B2
Fuset y Grau, Girl Blowing Bubbles pendant, about 1910
B3
Castellani, brooch, about 1858
B4
Castellani, micromosaic lion brooch, about 1870
B5
Eugène Fontenay, necklace, about 1875
B6
Frédéric Boucheron, inkstand, 1876
The Circle and the Line
Since the beginning of human history, artists have played with simple forms. The Art Deco movement resulted in a shift from Art Nouveau’s curves to geometric designs. The artist Betty Cooke remarked, “we used to study what can be done with one straight line. I can spend years with a circle.”
B7
Giovanni Corvaja, Spille brooch, 1999
B8
Margret Craver, brooch, about 1945
B9
Margaret De Patta, ring, 1947–48
B10
Betty Cooke, necklace, about 1959
B11
Miyé Matsukata, necklace, about 1970–75
B12
Elizabeth James-Perry, medallion, 2022
B13
Auguste Bonaz, Machine Age Galalith necklace, 1930–1937
B14
B15
Wendy Ramshaw, Girl Before a Mirror, 1989
B16
Jean Fouquet, lapis Art Deco brooch, 1925–1930
Pushing the Boundaries
The second half of the 20th century witnessed an increase in educational programs to study jewelry making. As a result, a greater number of artists made jewelry and the field became more experimental in its use of materials and techniques.
B17
B18
Peter Chang, brooch, about 1991
Peter Chang, pair of earrings, 1991
B19
Stanley Lechtzin, Torque #25D, 1972
B20
Manfred Bischoff, The Comedian and the Martyr brooch, 1990
B21
Bruno Martinazzi, Goldfinger, 1969
B22
Jamie Bennett, Priori #24, 1990
B23
Noma Copley, pencil bracelet, 1999
B24
Shinji Nakaba, Peace brooch, 2011
B25
Henri Vever, Apparitions brooch, about 1899
B26
Bruce Metcalf, Figure Pin #135, 1996
B27
Sam Kramer, Lovers brooch, 1949
B28
B29
Claire Falkenstein, ring, about 1955
Sculpture to Wear
Most of the artists who designed the jewelry in this case are better known for working in other media and on a larger scale. These tiny treasures share the artists’ ideas more often expressed in sculpture or architecture.
B30
Alexander Calder, pair of earrings, 1940–45
B31
Man Ray, Pendants Pending earrings, 1970
B32
B33
B34
Zaha Hadid, Lamellae Twisted Cuff bracelet, 2016
Framing the Stone
Metalwork, enamel, and gemstones are core to the jeweler’s art. Some jewelers use gemstones like a painter uses paint, and others breathe new life into “found objects,” as Marie Zimmerman did when she made a pair of elegant bangles from a broken jade bracelet.
B35
John Paul Cooper, Big Double Gold brooch, 1908
B36
Marie Zimmermann, pair of bracelets, 1939
B37
Josephine Hartwell Shaw, necklace, 1910–18
B38
Louis Comfort Tiffany, necklace, about 1910
B39
Frank Gardner Hale, jeweled scroll brooch, about 1920
B40
Feng J, blue anthurium brooch, 2021
B41
Adornment
Jewelry is placed on the head, worn through the ears, suspended from the neck, pinned to a jacket, or put on a finger. Adornment emphasizes jewelry’s connection to the body. An essential element of creative expression, jewelry has functioned as part of global visual culture and display for thousands of years. Whether functional or decorative, jewelry is a necessary ingredient in projecting personal style. The objects here are designed to decorate, seduce, glow, secure garments, and beautify the wearer. With the rise of mass production and the introduction of ready-to-wear clothing, jewelry too has become more directly connected to seasonal fashions.
Fashion
Created for French fashion or made to pair with minimalist ensembles like Elsa Peretti’s oeuvre, these designs in silver or glass are no less important than jewelry created with platinum and diamonds. Each object is laced with meaning from the designer’s travels and experiences.
C1
Lucien Lelong, Flore design drawing, Winter 1925
C2
Madeleine & Madeleine, Célimène design drawing, Winter 1922–1923
C3
C4
Maison Gripoix, Lily of the Valley necklace, 1950s
C5
Marcel Boucher, Gold Spike necklace, 1960–1969
C6
Elsa Peretti, Scorpion necklace, 1978
C7
House of Chanel, Bow necklace, 1983
C8
Maison Gripoix, Maltese Cross brooch, 1970s
The Natural World
Whether inspired by flora, fauna, or the sea, or incorporating materials from nature, artists have found the world around us to be a creative resource with limitless possibilities. Studies from nature, these two brooches copy every detail of the specific butterfly species in enamel.
C9
Carlo Giuliano, Duke of Burgundy butterfly brooch, about 1880
C10
Carlo Giuliano, Bath White butterfly brooch, about 1880
C11
merry renk, Branching comb, 1967
C12
Thierry Vendome, Pluie “Rain” pendant, about 2000
C13
Charles Robert Ashbee, Marsh-bird brooch, 1901–02
C14
Paul Lienard, Seaweed brooch, about 1908
C15
Marguerite Stix, Margareta Cea, about 1965
Power Dressing
Jewelry manifests power and prestige. Protecting the sensitive wrists or neck, these ornaments offer, real and imagined, strength to the wearer. A status symbol, this heavy Miao necklace would have been one element of an extensive ceremonial ensemble that could include nearly twenty pounds of jewelry.
C16
Tanya Crane, Big Pimpin’, 2014
C17
C18
Bracelet with image of Hathor, 250–100 BCE
C19
Angelita (Angie) Reano Owen, cuff bracelet, about 1990–1992
C20
Elsa Peretti, Large Bone Cuff bracelet, about 1978
C21
Sondra Sherman, Sun bracelet, 1988
Luxury
The couturière Gabrielle Chanel quipped “Luxury is a necessity that begins where necessity ends.” Like the other objects in this gallery, these jewels are indicators of rank, status, and also of style. These are rarified objects that are a testament to human ingenuity. These jewels have the power to transform and transfix.
C22
Anna Hu, Enchanted Ania brooch, 2023
C23
Alphonse Auger, corsage ornament, about 1890
C24
C25
Unmarked, pomander, about 1580
C26
Belt of buckle and seven plaques, 8th century
American Style
Tiffany & Co. opened in 1837 as a “stationary and fancy goods emporium.” Since then it has become known for highlighting outstanding gemstones, creating artistic pieces such as this hand ornament inspired by Indian jewelry, and working with visionary designers.
C27
Tiffany & Co., The Colt necklace and earrings, 1856
C28
Jean Schlumberger, Dahlia Compact, 1959
C29
G. Paulding Farnham, hand ornament, about 1893
Jewel Tones
Gemstones are found in all the colors of the rainbow. Jewelry artists have found inventive ways to set rare and important stones, like this 60-carat emerald that was mined in Colombia or Ecuador, carved in India in the 17th century, and set into this brooch by Marcus & Co. in the 1920s.
C30
Hairpin, ornamental, 19th century
C31
Marina Bulgari Spaccarelli, Pneu earrings and beads, 1980–1995
C32
C33
C34
Oscar Heyman Bros., Marjorie Merriweather Post brooch, 1929
C35
Trifari, Krussman & Fishel, starburst brooch, 1955–1959
C36
Flower basket brooch, 1940–1949
C37
C38
Marcus & Co., necklace, about 1905
C39
Navaratna (“nine gem”) armlet, 19th century
C40
Messaging
Jewelry is political. Part of a language of signs, jewelry carries power and meaning. It can be embedded with personal stories or send messages that are instantly recognizable within a particular group or culture. Governments therefore have sometimes passed laws to try to control the wearing of jewelry. Because of its highly visible nature, jewelry offers a way to wear your “heart on your sleeve” or anywhere you choose, as a powerful signifier of your aesthetic tastes and personal beliefs.
D1
Mary Todd Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln earrings, about 1860
Mary Todd Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln brooch, about 1860
D2
Necklace, Late 19th or 20th century
D3
Lyndon Tsosie, Enuh bracelet, 2008
D4
Life
Inspired by the everyday, artists take on narrative subjects borrowed from personal experiences. Jewelry also plays a role at the end of life—it can be worn to indicate mourning, and ancient Egyptians used jewelry to aid their journey to immortality.
D5
Melanie Bilenker, Shaving (Viewfinder), 2017
D6
Nancy Worden, Runnin Yo Mama Ragged, 1992
D7
D8
Jan Yager, Dandelion brooch, 2001
D9
Asagi Maeda, A Train Story necklace, 2008
Making a Statement
Jewelry can communicate who you are, where you came from, or what’s important to you. The objects shown here speak to national or cultural pride and express beliefs about socio-cultural issues like abolition and female empowerment. Operating like a secret language, each “message” held deeply personal meaning to its wearer.
D10
Black, Starr and Frost, American flag brooch, 1917
D11
D12
D13
Simon Petiteau, armorial bracelet, about 1830
D14
Artist Unidentified, beaded Collar, early 20th century
D15
Wedgwood Manufactory, Am I Not A Man and A Brother? medallion, 1786–87
D16
Streeter & Co., LTD, bicycle brooch, mid–1890s
D17
Peter Carl Fabergé, The Balletta Bulldog, about 1905
Commitment
Jewelry is often given and received as a token of love and affection. Engagement and wedding rings are symbols of promise and commitment. Queen Victoria gave this turquoise brooch to one of her twelve train-bearers after her wedding in 1840.
D18
Lisa Gralnick, The Tragedy of Great Love, 1994
D19
Diamond engagement ring,20th century
D20
Jewish marriage ring, 19th century, in the 16th–century style
D21
Prince Consort Albert, Coburg Eagle brooch, 1840
Symbolic and Spiritual
Featuring kings and queens, gods and goddesses, or connected to religious practices, jewelry can carry spiritual power. It can communicate an association with the divine or speak more symbolically to one’s status within a group.
D22
Carlo Giuliano, pendant, 1880–1890
D23
"Charlotte Newman, known as Mrs. Newman", necklace with a cameo of Elizabeth I, about 1890
D24
Pendant on a chain, 1070–712 BCE
D25
Pendant depicting the ten incarnations of Vishnu, early 18th century
D26
Anton Frühauf, kings bracelet, 1959
D27
Edward Everett Oakes, cross necklace, 1920s
D28
D29
Robert Becenti Jr, Storyteller concho belt, before 1999
D30
Wealth and Power
Often made with precious materials, jewelry can communicate both monetary and social status. All that glitters might not be gold, but humans have long been attracted to and placed value on shiny things. Often associated with royalty and the highest ranking social classes, these impressive objects symbolize power.
D31
Boucheron, platinum and diamond necklace/tiara, about 1903
D32
Hair pendant (one of a pair), 19th–early 20th century
D33
Hemmerle, pair of tassel earrings, 2018
D34
D35
D36
William Spratling, Jaguar brooch, 1940–1946
D37
Spotlight
Elsa Peretti
Elsa Peretti (Italian, 1940–2021) recalled that “Portofino in the ’60s was magic. Women in bright silk, each with the gardenia in their hand. The bottle started then, in my mind.” This first design idea sparked a more than sixty-year career that culminated in many considering Peretti to be the most important designer of the 20th century. Born in Florence and raised in Rome, she spent much of her life in Spain. However, she is remembered for her years in New York and her half-century partnership with Tiffany & Co. Peretti created timeless designs that are as sought after today as when she first envisioned them decades ago.
E1
Elsa Peretti, Claw necklace, late 1970s
E2
Elsa Peretti, Whip belt, about 1975
E3
Elsa Peretti, Open Bottle pendant, 1970s
E4
Elsa Peretti, Sphere necklace, around 2013
E5
Elsa Peretti, Open Heart, late 20th century
E6
Elsa Peretti, perfume set, around 2013
E7
Elsa Peretti, Serpent buckle and belt, 1970s