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.
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Status
- On View, Gallery 137
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Department
- Arts of Africa
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Culture
- Trarza
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Title
- Jewelry Box
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Place
- Mauritania (Object made in)
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Date
- 1900–1940
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Medium
- Wood, leather, iron, brass, copper, and Bakelite
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Dimensions
- 23.5 × 53.5 × 29 cm (9 1/4 × 21 × 11 3/8 in.)
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Credit Line
- Alsdorf Foundation - James and Marilynn Alsdorf Acquisition Fund
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Reference Number
- 2009.573