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

On View

Toledo Museum of Art (2445 Monroe Street), Gallery, 34, Jewelry Gallery

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.