Mourning Ring c. 1936

This is Michael Fenga’s drawing, Mourning Ring, of unknown date, made with graphite and watercolor. This drawing connects to the tradition of mourning jewelry, often commissioned to memorialize the dead. The style of the ring suggests the Victorian era, when mourning rituals and customs were highly elaborate and codified, reflecting a time of high mortality and evolving social norms around death. Looking at the ring, its design and materials would have communicated specific messages about the wearer's relationship to the deceased, their social status, and their emotional state. The Victorians were very interested in using objects and images to express feelings about social structures and the personal role in them. The study of material culture, alongside archival research into Victorian social customs and jewelry-making practices, helps us understand how this small object was laden with meaning. Understanding its history helps us reflect on the personal and cultural meanings we invest in objects today.