Jewellery – Form – Content

The exhibition presents historical and contemporary jewellery from the collections of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, together with pieces lent by private collectors or the artists themselves that are still worn today or have been preserved as keepsakes. Shown side by side, innovative and conventional works from different periods highlight the various meanings that jewellery can bear. The first part of the exhibition covers the theme of time, with jewellery that is shaped like an endless loop, or which features moving parts (including mechanical watches), or is made from materials that degrade over time, such as ice or soap. The second part looks at jewellery that depicts individual figures or tableaux with multiple actors, whether as an isolated motif or part of a scene. Such motifs – for instance Eros/Cupid and his arrows – have often been used for centuries. However, it is only when jewellery meets the human body that the picture is complete. The final part of the exhibition is devoted to works that reference ideas showcased in the permanent exhibition ART, LIFE, inviting visitors to proceed to the installations Jewellery and Light (Hall E) and Jewellery and Physique (Hall D).

Jewellery – Form – Content is accompanied by an eponymous book whose individual chapters (Jewellery and Time, Jewellery and Light, Jewellery and Physique and Jewellery and Figure) explore the ideas presented in this dedicated exhibition and in the permanent exhibition. In addition the museum’s website and social media accounts feature student work from jewellery studios at Czech and Slovak institutions of higher education.