Necklace 1900 - 1920

This necklace was crafted by a Navajo (Diné) artist, and it’s now here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. You know, looking at the way these silver beads catch the light, I can't help but think about the hands that shaped them. Imagine the artist carefully stringing each one, feeling the cool metal against their fingertips. It's kind of like painting, right? Each bead is a stroke, a moment of intention. The crescent pendant, with its own tiny spheres, it’s a symbol, maybe of the moon, maybe of something deeply personal to the maker. And those little fringe details! They remind me of the way I sometimes let my brushstrokes dangle and drip, surrendering to the material. The Navajo artist probably didn't think they were making art—rather, they were making something to wear, to honor, to carry meaning—but it's beautiful. It’s the same impulse, the desire to make something real and tangible.