Graziella Laffi
Shell Necklace (Collar en forma de caracol)circa 1970-1980

Not on view

Artist or Maker: Graziella Laffi
Italy, active Peru, 1923-2009
Title: Shell Necklace (Collar en forma de caracol)
Place Made: Peru, Lima
Date Made: circa 1970-1980
Medium: Silver
Dimensions: 10 5/8 × 7 1/16 in. (26.99 × 17.94 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Giannina Laffi and Manolo Morales
Accession Number: M.2014.201.8
Classification: Jewelry and Adornments
Collecting Area: Latin American Art
Curatorial Notes: The art of ancient Peru was an endless source of inspiration for Graziella Laffi. This stunning necklace of a stylized shell is rooted in both ancient and modern aesthetics, making a timeless statement. Born in Florence, Italy, Laffi immigrated to Lima with her family in 1947, following the upheaval of World War II. She traveled extensively throughout her new homeland, developing a deep appreciation for the country’s ancient art. Laffi began working with silver, a material widely used in ancient times, adapting some of the techniques of earlier silversmiths. Her jewelry and hollowware designs combine Andean imagery with a modern visual vocabulary, and form part of a larger agenda in Peru to redefine the country’s culture and promote local traditions and themes.

Rachel Kaplan

2025

Not on view

Artist or Maker: Graziella Laffi
Italy, active Peru, 1923-2009
Title: Shell Necklace (Collar en forma de caracol)
Place Made: Peru, Lima
Date Made: circa 1970-1980
Medium: Silver
Dimensions: 10 5/8 × 7 1/16 in. (26.99 × 17.94 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Giannina Laffi and Manolo Morales
Accession Number: M.2014.201.8
Classification: Jewelry and Adornments
Collecting Area: Latin American Art
Curatorial Notes: The art of ancient Peru was an endless source of inspiration for Graziella Laffi. This stunning necklace of a stylized shell is rooted in both ancient and modern aesthetics, making a timeless statement. Born in Florence, Italy, Laffi immigrated to Lima with her family in 1947, following the upheaval of World War II. She traveled extensively throughout her new homeland, developing a deep appreciation for the country’s ancient art. Laffi began working with silver, a material widely used in ancient times, adapting some of the techniques of earlier silversmiths. Her jewelry and hollowware designs combine Andean imagery with a modern visual vocabulary, and form part of a larger agenda in Peru to redefine the country’s culture and promote local traditions and themes.

Rachel Kaplan

2025