- Title
- Armlet
- Date Made
- circa 1880
- Medium
- Gold repoussé with cotton tassels and silver wire
- Dimensions
- 1 7/8 x 4 1/4 x 1/8 in. (4.72 x 10.8 x .32 cm)
- Accession Number
- M.89.110
- Collecting Area
- South and Southeast Asian Art
- Curatorial Notes
This delicate armlet is made of gold with small amounts of copper and silver added to the alloy. Meant to be worn on the upper arm, it is made in the standard tripartite form of a flat central section flanked by hemispherical end segments that are curved to align with the circumference of the arm. Cotton tassels attached to terminals are used to tie the armlet into position.
The armlet epitomizes a distinctive style of jewelry from Bengal and neighboring Bangladesh that features an openwork matrix of floral and geometric designs with facetted repoussé studs that sparkle from the light reflected by the myriad surface planes. Often combined with wire filigree, Bengal jewelry is renowned for its light weight and elegance.
