Necklace

Unknown

18th–19th century · Gold, diamonds, colorless sapphires, rubies, imitation emeralds (colorless rock crystal over green foil), and pearls · Islamic Art

Pictorial representations and literary accounts of jewelry from the Mughal era abound, for the wearing and appreciation of jewels and gems was considered an art in itself. The memoirs of Jahangir, for instance, record his decisions to wear certain pearls or rubies for important occasions, but the practice was not limited to royalty alone—travelers to India noted the quantity of jewelry worn by all members of society. Because very few of these pieces survive, most seventeenth-century jewelry is known only from paintings and written descriptions; extant pieces from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries are much more numerous. This particular necklace, composed of diamonds, rubies, pearls, and imitation emeralds set in gold, might represent work for a new class of patrons, the British in India.

Artist

Unknown

Date

18th–19th century

Medium

Gold, diamonds, colorless sapphires, rubies, imitation emeralds (colorless rock crystal over green foil), and pearls

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

John Stewart Kennedy Fund, 1915