Natura Morta thumbnail 1
Natura Morta thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Jewellery, Rooms 91, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

This object consists of 2 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Natura Morta

Necklace
2016 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Christopher Thompson Royd's 'Natura morta' necklace captures the fragility and beauty of individual flowers while playing with ideas of mortality. Each necklace starts with the real flowers, picked and pressed, the outlines of which are then drawn on very thin pieces of gold sheet. These delicate outlines are layered and bound together with very fine gold wire, echoing the actions of a florist or gardener. Their vivid colouring is captured with enamel paint.

His work draws inspiration from both the Thracian funerary wreaths of 4th century BC with their life-like gold flowers , and the archive of pressed flowers that is the Hans Sloane Herbarium at the Natural History Museum. In a homage to Sloane, the necklace is presented in a marbled folio box.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Necklace
  • Case for Necklace
TitleNatura Morta (series title)
Materials and techniques
Gold, enamel and rose-cut diamonds
Brief description
Necklace, poppies of gold, enamel and diamonds, designed and made by Christopher Thompson Royds, the Netherlands 2016
Folio case covered with marbled paper made for Christopher Thompson Royds' poppies necklace
Physical description
The necklace resembles a wreath of pressed flowers. Multiple poppy stems of flattened gold are wired together at intervals, a delicate layering which conveys movement and depth. Their outlines are varied by foliate detailing along their length, and each terminates in either a seed pod, bud or richly-painted red flower. Eight poppies are clustered at the front of the necklace, amongst which a small magnetic clasp is hidden. Eleven small rose-cut diamonds are irregularly spaced, set as dew on both stems and petals.
The folio case is covered in brown marbled paper with a black ribbon tie.
Dimensions
  • Necklace height: 165mm
  • Necklace width: 156mm
  • Necklace depth: 4mm
  • Case height: 375mm
  • Case width: 281mm
  • Case depth: 17mm
Marks and inscriptions
('CTR' and London hallmark for 18 carat gold on the back of one of the central poppies)
Credit line
Purchased through the generosity of William & Judith, Douglas and James Bollinger
Object history
The necklace was shown in the Contemporary Applied Arts exhibition ‘Bloomin Jewels’ ( 2017) curated by Corinne Julius.
Subject depicted
Summary
Christopher Thompson Royd's 'Natura morta' necklace captures the fragility and beauty of individual flowers while playing with ideas of mortality. Each necklace starts with the real flowers, picked and pressed, the outlines of which are then drawn on very thin pieces of gold sheet. These delicate outlines are layered and bound together with very fine gold wire, echoing the actions of a florist or gardener. Their vivid colouring is captured with enamel paint.

His work draws inspiration from both the Thracian funerary wreaths of 4th century BC with their life-like gold flowers , and the archive of pressed flowers that is the Hans Sloane Herbarium at the Natural History Museum. In a homage to Sloane, the necklace is presented in a marbled folio box.
Collection
Accession number
M.26:1,2-2017

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Record createdJune 9, 2017
Record URL
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