A visually stunning tour through the history of Indian jewelry, ‘India: Jewels that Enchanted the World’ opened on Saturday at the State Museums of Moscow Kremlin in Russia. Considered the the most comprehensive exhibition of Indian jewelry ever displayed, the exhibition features more than 300 pieces of handmade jewels with several dating back to the 17th century. Many of the jewels are on loan from more than 30 museums, institutions and private collections around the world, including the Victoria & Albert museum and jewelry houses such as Cartier, Mauboussin and Van Cleef & Arpels.
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Late 19th century spectacles, known as Astaneh-ye-ferdaws (Gate of Paradise), featuring Mughal gems, gold, silver, diamonds and emeralds.
Spanning five centuries, the pieces are arranged in thematic sections relating to regions and periods, and according to sources of inspiration and typology. Separated into two halls, the first hall, The Belfrey, shows visitors the jewelry tradition of South India: monumental pieces crafted from gold, worked in relief and decorated with beautiful flowers, dancing peacocks and exquisite gems showcase the distinctive forms and character of this region. Highlights from this section include a hair ornament studded with cabochon rubies surmounted with the coiled body of a snake; a monumental gold marriage necklace of the Chettiar community of Tamil Nadu made up of elaborately detailed claw-like pendants; jewels for the ears; and exquisite temple pendants featuring images of gods and goddesses set with specially cut carved rubies.
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Upper portion of the Hair ornament (jadai nagam); Tamil Nadu, 19th century; gold, rubies, emeralds, diamonds; length: 48 cm. Private collection, USA
The following section explores the jeweled splendor of the Mughal courts, replete with a bounty of gold, gems and enamel. The pieces in this section reflect the artistic sensibilities of the Mughals first conquered and then ruled as emperors, patronizing art and architecture as well as flaunting their imperial power by way of spectacular gems and jewels. The finest specimens from this portion of the exhibition include turban jewels with table-cut diamonds, rigid collar-necklaces studded with gems, armbands set with diamonds, exquisitely enameled bangled with animal-head terminals and a tiny box set with 103 intricately carved emeralds.
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Necklace; India, Mughal dominions; diamonds: 17th century; gold mountings: late 18th-early 19th century. Gold, diamonds, emeralds, enamel; diamonds: 29.1 x 26.45 x 1.3 mm to 24.05 x 15.05 x 1.5 mm approx. Emeralds: 20.10 x 24.5 x 11.45 mm to 19.45 x 14.6 x 9.95 mm approx.; private collection
Paying homage to the stones most revered by the Maharajas, a special section captures the splendor of the five great gems of Indian jewelry – diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires and pearls. The highlights are: an exceptional necklace comprising five outstandingly beautiful flat portrait diamonds and an exquisite baroque pearl pendant crafted in the image of the snake god.
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Choker necklace (chintak); probably Hyderabad, late 18th-early 19th century; gold, diamonds, emeralds, pearls, enamel; height: 8 cm, width: 28 cm; the al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait
Perhaps the most magnificent jewels are those created for the Nizams of Hyderabad. The epitome of opulence of the Mughal courts of the Maharajas, these jewels, which include elegant flower earrings, chokers studded with diamonds with exquisite enameling and elaborate armbands, offer a glimpse into the wealth and lavish artistry of the Nizams’ court life.
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Pendant; India, Mughal dominions, late 16th century; gold, baroque pearl, rubies, diamonds, emeralds, blue glass. Overall: 6.4 x 4.6 cm, pearl: 3.2 x 2.9 x 2 cm; private collection
Ending the tour of the first hall are jeweled creations by Munnu Kasliwal for The Gem Palace. Grand, exotic and eclectic in design, the jewelry of Munnu remain faithful to the ancient heritage of India.
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Wedding suite: necklace, headdress, and earrings; Munnu Kasliwal, The Gem Palace, Jaipur, 2004. Gold, silver, diamonds, pearls; length: 72 cm, width: 51 cm (necklace); length: 71 cm, width: 18 cm (headdress). Length: 27 cm, width: 5 cm (earrings); collection of The Gem Palace, Jaipur
The second hall, One-Pillar Hall, illustrates the cross-cultural influences between Europe and India in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that sparked the Indian-inspired creations from the European jewelry houses during that time. Cartier, Chaumet, Mauboussin, Mellerio and Van Cleef & Arpels looked to India not only for extraordinary stones but for inspiration in jewelry design as well. From Cartier’s “Tutti-Frutti” jewels and specially commissioned pieces for the Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala to exquisite examples by Chaumet and Van Cleef & Arpels, the jewels in this section of the exhibition exemplify the the fruitful collaborations between East and West at the turn of the century.
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Trompe l’oeil sarpech clip; Van Cleef & Arpels, Paris, 1924; platinum, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds; 8 x 5.2 x 1 cm; Van Cleef & Arpels Collection, 24624
The second section concludes with the sophisticated creations of Bhagat that are Mughal-inspired, minutely detailed and exceptionally chic. Bhagat, the premier haute-joaillier of India, designs jewels that have a unique aesthetic of their own: classical yet contemporary with ancient gems in modern settings. A stunning ‘Swag’ necklace centers on a magnificent pear-shaped Golconda diamond on six rows of lustrous, perfectly matched natural pearls. The piece de résistance of the Bhagat âtelier is a ‘Kalgi’ brooch – a modern interpretation of a classical Mughal turban jewel.
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“Swag” necklace; Viren Bhagat; Bhagat, Mumbai, 2011; platinum, pearls, diamonds; length: 10.5 cm (pendant) Private collection
‘India: Jewels that Enchanted the World’ runs until July 27th, 2014.
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Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala (cat. 145); Delhi, c. 1911; modern print from original negative; 25 x 17.5 cm, Cartier Archives, Paris, B749 C.K.
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