Maker & Muse:

Women and Early 20th-Century Art Jewelry

OCTOBER 25, 2019–JANUARY 19, 2020

Join us this fall for Maker & Muse: Women and Early Twentieth Century Art Jewelry, a stunning exhibition of more than 200 unique pieces of handcrafted art jewelry. The exhibition celebrates the role of women in jewelry-production, both as inspiration and as designers/makers.

Demonstrating the impact of women on art jewelry, the exhibition highlights five regions: Great Britain, France, Austro-Germany, New York, and Chicago. These regions saw the emergence of bold, experimental artists who pushed the boundaries of traditional jewelry design. The exhibition features exquisite works by renowned artists such as Louis Comfort Tiffany, Charlotte Newman, and René Lalique.

Art jewelry developed as a reaction to the conformity of mass-produced goods throughout the Industrial Revolution. Each of the designers represented in Maker & Muse, though inspired by their own individual cultures and surroundings, shared similar aesthetic ideals: they all sought to produce innovative jewelry with semiprecious stones, enamelwork, and dramatic forms. The works in this exhibition offer a mesmerizing glimpse into the social, political, and economic realms in which they were created.

Drawn from the Collection of Richard H. Driehaus, as well as from other prominent collections, Maker & Muse explores the fascinating symbiosis between art jewelry, design, and women in the early 20th century.

Join the conversation on social media with the hashtags #MakerAndMuse and #JewelryDAI.