On April 8, 2018, for our series Voices on Art, Art This Week Productions filmed this talk by art historian Usha R. Balakrishnan titled From the Vaults of Gods, the Treasuries of Maharajas, and the Storerooms of Families: The Incredible World of Indian Jewelry at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. This talk is the second of five talks we are filming in collaboration with the MFAH as part of the annual Ruth K. Shartle lecture series and in conjunction with the exhibition, Peacock in the Desert: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India on view at the museum through August 19, 2018.
From the MFAH website–“In 1880, Maharaja Jaswant Singh II of Jodhpur posed for a series of official portraits. Two stunning paintings—one in the exhibition Peacock in the Desert: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India, and the other in the Brooklyn Museum’s collection—feature the maharaja in Indo-Western attire: a traditional Indian choga, jodhpur trousers, and leather riding boots. He wears the mantle, star, and badge insignia of Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India, awarded to him by Queen Victoria in 1875.
But the most prominent feature of his attire is his magnificent emerald necklace, comprising five rows of Colombian emeralds interspersed with Basra pearls. The jewelry completes his public persona. Ubiquitous in many portraits of Jodhpur’s kings, the necklace is a striking emblem of Rathore lineage and the wealth and imperial might of the kingdom of Marwar.
This talk features images of Indian jewelry from vaults, treasuries, and even storage rooms that highlight the beauty of design and craftsmanship. Art historian Usha R. Balakrishnan decodes the symbolism of the jewels’ forms, discusses jewelry as personal and societal statements; and tells captivating stories of love, passion, trade, and war that are enshrined in Indian jewels.”
Thanks to Usha and the MFAH for allowing us to film the talk.
ATW info: Twitter: @artthisweek – Facebook: facebook.com/artthisweek
Be First to Comment