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Jewelry Box

A work made of wood, leather, iron, brass, copper, and bakelite.

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  • A work made of wood, leather, iron, brass, copper, and bakelite.

Date:

Early 20th century

Artist:

Moors
Trarza region, Mauritania
Northern Africa and the Sahel

About this artwork

Jewelry from the Maghreb region in Northern Africa is part of a woman’s dowry but may also be given by a fiancé to his future bride. Embellished with a variety of motifs infused with spiritual presence (baraka), this wooden jewelry box is clad in decorative ironwork and ornamented with brass, copper, and Bakelite, the first plastic made from synthetic components. The painted interior leatherwork is similar to that used for household cushions.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Africa

Culture

Trarza

Title

Jewelry Box

Place

Mauritania (Object made in:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1900–1940

Medium

Wood, leather, iron, brass, copper, and Bakelite

Dimensions

23.5 × 53.4 × 30.8 cm (9 1/4 × 21 × 12 1/8 in.)

Credit Line

Alsdorf Foundation - James and Marilynn Alsdorf Acquisition Fund

Reference Number

2009.573a-b

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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