Pair of Earrings

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Pair of Earrings

Place of OriginLikely Turkey or Northern Greece

Dateabout 375-325 BCE

DimensionsEarring A: 1 7/8 × 5/16 × 5/16 in. (4.8 × 0.8 × 0.8 cm)
Earring B: 1 7/8 × 5/16 × 5/16 in. (4.8 × 0.8 × 0.8 cm)

MediumGold

ClassificationJewelry

Credit LineGift of The Georgia Welles Apollo Society

Object number

1987.5A-B

On View

Toledo Museum of Art (2445 Monroe Street), Gallery, 02, Classic

DescriptionThis group consists of four distinct gold objects. One (1987.3A-F) is a wreath composed of hollow gold tubing formed into a circular hoop. Attached to this stem are thin, die-formed gold leaves with serrated edges mimicking oak foliage, along with acorns. The leaves are attached via wire stalks, allowing them to tremble. Five sprays of leaves project outward from the main hoop to create volume. The second piece (1987.4) is a partial wreath of large olive leaves and solid gold olives attached to a tubular stem. The third element is a pair of earrings (1987.5A-B) featuring a rosette disc above a pyramidal pendant wrapped in wire. The final piece (1987.6) is a garment pin (fibula) with a finely detailed panther’s head terminal and a mesh-textured shaft, likely converted from an earring.

Label TextThis lavish set of gold jewelry was made during the reign of Philip II (reigned 356–339 BCE), father of Alexander the Great. It reflects the wealth that poured into the court of Macedon as a result of the king’s conquests and new gold mines. Most striking are the gold wreathes which were often worn by guests in banquet halls; gold olive wreathes in particular were awarded to victorious athletes after competitions. The large oak wreath has tissue-thin leaves that tremble with the slightest vibration, making the artificial branches come to life.Published ReferencesMcMaster, Julie A., The Enduring Legacy: A Pictorial History of the Toledo Museum of Art, Superior Printing, Warren, OH, 2001, repr. (col.) p. 41.

Tennenbaum, Suzanne and Janet Zapata, Jeweled garden: a colorful history of gems, jewels, and nature, New York, Vendome, 2006, p. 8, repr. p. 9 (col.).

Exhibition HistorySt. Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts, Infinite riches; jewelry through the ages, 1989, no. 19, p. 27, repr. (87.5 a,b); no. 23, p. 27, repr. (87.6).

The Toledo Museum of Art, A decade of giving: The Apollo Society at The Toledo Museum of Art, 1996, p. 4, repr. (col.).

Toledo Museum of Art, Inspired Giving: The Apollo Society 25th Anniversary Exhibition, October 15, 2010-February 13, 2011, p. 9, repr. (col.) p. 9.