H x W x D: 6.6 x 6.6 x 1.1 cm (2 5/8 x 2 5/8 x 7/16 in.)
Type:
Jewelry
Geography:
Senegal
Date:
Late 20th century-early 2000s
Label Text:
In recent years, the practice of commissioning gold jewelry has declined. Instead, women opt to rent or borrow jewelry from family members to minimize cost. Rather than succumbing to the high costs of living in a city like Dakar, women have created opportunities for lavish display—while concealing the difficulties of pulling off such sartorial excellence in the midst of financial instability.
Importing gold jewelry is also a flourishing business, and women are at the forefront of such practices. Many purchases are brought back for resale, while others inspire newly made creations, several examples of which are on display here. Whether on pilgrimage to Mecca, or jetting to various cities in Europe and the Middle East to buy gold, cosmetics, and fashionable shoes, enterprising women continue to capitalize on an enduring legacy of feminine business savvy.
Description:
Gold-plated silver alloy two-piece hinged filigree bracelet cuff of central quatrefoil decorated in openwork filigree, central filigree flower and plain gold projections. The rest of the band is decorated in openwork filigree swirls in three sections. Push button latch closure.
Provenance:
Marian Johnson, purchased in Dakar, Senegal, 1963-late 20th century to 2012
Exhibition History:
Good As Gold: Fashioning Senegalese Women, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., October 24, 2018-February 2, 2020; North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, September 16, 2020-January 3, 2021
Published References:
Maples, Amanda, Ashby Johnson, Marian, and Dumouchelle, Kevin D., 2018, Good As Gold, Washington, D.C.: NMAfA, Smithsonian, p. 21, illustrated p. 23
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