Pendant
about 1903 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
May Morris was the daughter of the artist, designer and socialist William Morris. She was a talented embroideress and jeweller in her own right. May began to design jewellery around the turn of the 20th century. She was probably inspired by the Birmingham jewellers Arthur and Georgie Gaskin, who were old family friends.
May used colourful stones, often cabochon-cut (dome-shaped), and drew upon the forms and decoration of European folk jewellery. Many Arts and Crafts jewellers worked in this style. This brooch was probably inspired by a paste-set heart-shaped brooch which had belonged to the painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti. He had often painted her mother Janey Morris.
May used colourful stones, often cabochon-cut (dome-shaped), and drew upon the forms and decoration of European folk jewellery. Many Arts and Crafts jewellers worked in this style. This brooch was probably inspired by a paste-set heart-shaped brooch which had belonged to the painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti. He had often painted her mother Janey Morris.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silver, set with amazonite, williamsite, seed pearls and lapis lazuli |
| Brief description | Heart-shaped pendant set with amazonite, williamsite, lapis lazuli and seed pearls. Designed and made by May Morris, England, about 1903. |
| Physical description | A silver heart-shaped pendant decorated with rosettes, stylized foliage and a green heart-shaped williamsite, with a blue and white lapis lazuli drop flanked by loops of seed pearls on silver wire hanging below. The pendant hangs from an oval amazonite open-set in silver with circular links attached at each side. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Credit line | Given by Miss Vivian Lobb |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | May Morris was the daughter of the artist, designer and socialist William Morris. She was a talented embroideress and jeweller in her own right. May began to design jewellery around the turn of the 20th century. She was probably inspired by the Birmingham jewellers Arthur and Georgie Gaskin, who were old family friends. May used colourful stones, often cabochon-cut (dome-shaped), and drew upon the forms and decoration of European folk jewellery. Many Arts and Crafts jewellers worked in this style. This brooch was probably inspired by a paste-set heart-shaped brooch which had belonged to the painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti. He had often painted her mother Janey Morris. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.24-1939 |
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| Record created | March 13, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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