Jewelry

Description

The Ida Ou Nadif and other Imazighen peoples have developed highly distinctive jewelry styles. These bracelets, earrings, and headband are embellished with patterns in a black metal alloy mixture called niello. The box was designed to hold a copy of the Qu’ran and hang from a chain around a devotee’s neck. Across northern Africa exquisite silver jewelry defines a woman’s wealth and comprises an important part of the wedding gift that a man gives to his fiancée.

Provenance

Fatma ben Houssein ben Ali, southern Anti Atlas Mountains, Morocco, before early/mid-1990s [this and the following according to personal communication from Ivo Grammet dated May 24, 2002 in curatorial file]; by descent to her grandson, El Houssein, Morocco, early/mid-1990s; sold to Ivo Grammet, Essaouri, Morocco and Belgium, 1997; sold to the Art Institute, 2002.

Jewelry

Ida Ou Nadif

Late 19th or early 20th century

Accession Number

273752

Medium

Silver, enamel, niello, glass, leather, and fabric

Dimensions

N/A

Classification

jewelry

Museum

The Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, United States

Credit Line

Edward E. Ayer Endowment in memory of Charles L. Hutchinson