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Necklace
Wolof artist, Dakar, Senegal
Necklace
Mid-20th century
Gold-plated silver alloy
National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Dr. Marian Ashby Johnson, 2012-18-4
Necklace
Transnational Design
Jewelry knows no borders. Throughout the last century, cross-cultural exchange of style has been evident in popular Senegalese jewelry. Shared techniques from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa alike have met and blended with indigenous Sahelian aesthetics for centuries.
Islam has been practiced in Senegal since at least the fourth century, and Islamic half-moons and stars are still employed in bracelets and rings. The popularized butterfly design, which manifests in almost all types of Senegalese jewelry, is borrowed primarily from French styles. The filigreed domes and tiny flowers seen in myriad works may be inspired by earlier Jewish forms, which penetrated North Africa as early as the 15th century, if not well before. These same forms, however, may reference the domes of Islamic mosques or be purely decorative. The works here demonstrate some of the historic forms that have influenced the unique, transnational style that characterizes Senegalese jewelry.
Necklace pendant with central flower motif
Unidentified artist
Necklace pendant with central flower motif
Late 20th century
Gold-plated copper alloy; collected (and possibly modified) in Dakar, Senegal
National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, gift of Dr. Marian Ashby Johnson, 2012-18-61
Necklace pendant with central flower motif
What Do We Mean When We Say “Gold”?
Gold has long served as a shared global commodity and standard of value. It is one of the softest metals and is extremely resistant to corrosion. When royalty and the elite—those who could afford the purest of gold—first commissioned jewelry, the ratio of gold to alloying component was much higher than what one sees today.
Most of the jewelry in this exhibition is made from a silver or copper alloy, with small amounts of gold present. Because the gold content in these alloys is often not sufficient to achieve the desired golden hue, artists employed gold plate. Called or de Galam in Wolof or or du pays in French, this “country gold” provides maximum flexibility in color (ranging from more yellow to more orange) and accommodates smaller budgets. The most affluent and discerning customers still strive for 14-, 18-, or 22-karat gold whenever possible, though mixtures or silver covered in gold are most common.
NCMA Virtual Exhibitions
By the North Carolina Museum of Art