c. 1941
Hammered sterling silver
9.5 x 8.9 cm (3 3/4 x 3 1/2 in.)
Jo Hershey Selden Fund 2020.68
© Estate of Harry Bertoia / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Now known more for his sculpture and architectural design, Harry Bertoia first began his career designing jewelry.
Artisan jewelry designers working after the Second World War often took inspiration from the natural world and adapted these forms for practical use. Harry Bertoia referenced the arcing nature of fishbones when he created this brooch early on in his career. The lyrical, dancing shapes are connected to a central spine like a mobile and animate the form when worn.
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