"Half and Half" Necklace Maker: Art Smith (American, born Cuba, 1917–1982)

after 1948

American Decorative Arts

On view, 3rd floor, Modern and Contemporary Art and Design

Midcentury jeweler Art Smith was renowned for his wearable sculpture, and he considered the body to be fundamental to his work. His iconic Half and Half necklace plays with positive and negative space, at once hiding and exposing the skin, and the artist created further dimensionality in the piece by raising sections of the necklace off the body. The looping asymmetrical and biomorphic elements were inspired by Surrealism. Material was also important to Smith, and much of his work is made of brass, which has strong connections to African art and history.

Medium

Brass

Dimensions

8 × 7 1/2 × 1 1/2 in. (20.3 × 19.1 × 3.8 cm)

Credit Line

Gift of the Susan Grant Lewin Collection

Accession Number

2021.40.25

Geography

Made in New York, New York

Culture

American

Period

20th century

Classification

Jewelry

Disclaimer

Note: This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect the Yale University Art Gallery’s complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of records is ongoing.

Provenance
Sale, Mark McDonald, Hudson, New York; sold to Susan Grant Lewin, New York; given to Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Conn., 2021
Object copyright
Not Assigned
Additional information

Object/Work type

necklaces

Subject

African American artists African American makers

Marks

"Art Smith" script stamp on reverse of solid element

Technical metadata and APIs

IIIF

Open in Mirador

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