Beyond Adornment

Why do
people wear jewelry? What meaning does it hold for the wearer? And what does
the wearer hope it will convey to those they encounter-or to someone viewing
their image decades, even centuries, later?



Artistic renderings of the human figure-in portraiture, sculpture, and
other media-in a range of allegorical, historical, and religious images often
showcase jewelry. The ornaments depicted in such designs offer an abundance
of information that not only heightens our understanding of the subject but
also provides insights into the imagination of the artist. Jewelry enhances
our enjoyment of works of art because it is visually compelling, sensuous,
and laden with an array of associations and symbolic meanings.



Bringing together spectacular and significant art objects depicting figures
wearing sumptuous personal adornments that define who they are within the
specific milieus in which they lived, this richly illustrated and accessible
volume represents a novel, interdisciplinary approach to the ways in which
jewelry can be studied and understood.
Beyond Adornment takes the reader on a captivating journey
through time and across cultures worldwide, reflecting on the fundamental human
desire to wear jewelry. A wide array of fascinating jewels from the ordinary to
the extraordinary give insight into the personal lives and public faces of
individual wearers, revealing how jewelry has accompanied us from the cradle to
the grave. A stunning selection of sculptures and portraits bring the subject
to life, showing how jewelry is more than simply adornment.-Beatriz
Chadour-Sampson, jewelry historian, author, curator and lecturer