Beyond Adornment

A must-have for jewellery enthusiasts, this engaging volume illuminates the ways in which jewellery has been used to craft and express identity.

Why do people wear jewellery? What meaning does it hold for the wearer? And what does the wearer hope it will convey to those they encounter—or to someone viewing their image decades, even centuries, later?

Artistic renderings of the human figure—in portraiture, sculpture, and other media—in a range of allegorical, historical, and religious images often showcase jewellery. The ornaments depicted in such designs offer an abundance of information that not only heightens our understanding of the subject but also provides insights into the imagination of the artist. Jewellery enhances our enjoyment of works of art because it is visually compelling, sensuous, and laden with an array of associations and symbolic meanings.

Bringing together spectacular and significant art objects depicting figures wearing sumptuous personal adornments that define who they are within the specific milieus in which they lived, this richly illustrated and accessible volume represents a novel, interdisciplinary approach to the ways in which jewellery can be studied and understood.

Beyond Adornment by Yvonne J. Markowitz and Susanne Gansicke offers a fascinating exploration of these themes.