Brooch

Artist Giovanni Corvaja (Italian, born 1971)

Place of OriginItaly

Date1998

DimensionsOverall: 2 3/8 x 2 5/16 x 1/4 in. (6 x 6 x 0.7 cm)

MediumGold and platinum

ClassificationJewelry

Credit LinePurchased with funds given by Rita Barbour Kern

Object number

2003.39

Not on View

Label TextGiovanni Corvaja, who was born into a family of scientists, often spends months or even years researching and developing his ambitious projects. It’s not unusual for him to devote more than 1,000 hours of work to a single piece of jewelry. Corvaja prefers to work in gold, an element that he describes as magical, a miracle of nature. Through the intense making process, wire is drawn down to a finer and finer thread (less than 10 microns), altering the qualities of the material. The gold then becomes softer and smooth to the touch, with a feeling akin to fur. True freedom of expression, he believes, is impossible without perfect technique and its mastery.