Bracelet c. 1915

This striking bracelet was made by a Navajo artist, using silver and turquoise. Look at how the artist carefully assembled this piece, I find it so satisfying that there is the central rectangular turquoise gem, and this is framed by this intricate corrugated silver border. The silverwork is remarkable for its restrained ornamentation and precise craftsmanship. You can almost feel the artist's hand shaping and refining the metal, each groove a testament to focused labor. The turquoise itself is a vibrant green, bisected by delicate veins that map out the stone’s history. It reminds me of how Agnes Martin used to prepare her grounds, coaxing out the history within the materials. Together, the silver and stone create a compelling contrast. The silversmith who created it may have been thinking about those contrasts, light and dark, soft and hard, old and new. So much to admire in this simple piece.