Graziella Laffi
Kuipu Necklace (Collar en forma de kuipu)circa 1960-1970

Not on view

Artist or Maker: Graziella Laffi
Italy, active Peru, 1923-2009
Title: Kuipu Necklace (Collar en forma de kuipu)
Place Made: Peru, Lima
Date Made: circa 1960-1970
Medium: Silver
Dimensions: 13 1/4 × 5 1/8 × 3/4 in. (33.66 × 13.02 × 1.91 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Giannina Laffi and Manolo Morales
Accession Number: M.2014.201.10
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 necklace’s dangling, tapered metal beads terminating in round silver balls recall a khipu, a mnemonic record-keeping device made of knotted cords that was used by Andean peoples. 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: Kuipu Necklace (Collar en forma de kuipu)
Place Made: Peru, Lima
Date Made: circa 1960-1970
Medium: Silver
Dimensions: 13 1/4 × 5 1/8 × 3/4 in. (33.66 × 13.02 × 1.91 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Giannina Laffi and Manolo Morales
Accession Number: M.2014.201.10
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 necklace’s dangling, tapered metal beads terminating in round silver balls recall a khipu, a mnemonic record-keeping device made of knotted cords that was used by Andean peoples. 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