Modern Cuff
Arthur "Art" Smith (American, 1917-1982), designer and maker

Details
Title
Modern Cuff
Artist/Maker
Arthur "Art" Smith (American, 1917-1982), designer and maker
Date
ca. 1948
Medium
Sterling silver
Dimensions
1 5/8 x 2 1/2 x 4 inches
Credit
Purchase with funds from the Decorative Arts Acquisition Endowment
Accession #
2015.184
Modern Cuff by one of America’s foremost Studio Craft jewelers Art Smith utilizes a compelling combination of modernist and primitive influences, usage of negative space, dynamic scale, and strong linearity. Smith typically avoided expensive materials traditionally used in jewelry-making in favor of lesser materials, such as copper, brass, and aluminum; this piece made of sterling silver is a rarity. Jewelers saw Studio Craft as a broader movement to promote artistic handcraft as an alternative way of making things in the machine age. The early modernist jewelry designers created vibrant and fresh pieces where form, workmanship, and aesthetic ideals were more important than intrinsic materials.
Browse Related Artwork

Fred Wilson

Irene Williams

Yoruba Artist

Nuna Artist, Burkina Faso

Unidentified Artist

Louisiana Bendolph

Akan Artists

Lobi Artist, Burkina Faso

Annie Mae Young

Dan Artist, Liberia or Ivory Coast

Yoruba Artist, Republic of Benin

Toussian Artist, Burkina Faso