Use of Precious Materials
Art and objects made with costly materials such as gold, silver, gems, lapis lazuli and pearls, where value is part of the meaning.
No works indexed yet · 10 related artists
No open-access works for Use of Precious Materials are in the index yet. They will appear here as more collections are indexed.
About
Precious materials carry meaning before any work is done on them. Their rarity signals wealth and power, and their brilliance and durability have often been tied to the sacred and eternal. Medieval workshops set reliquaries and book covers with gems, enamel and gold, and the Pala d'Oro behind the high altar of St Mark's in Venice gathers enamels, pearls and gemstones on a golden screen.
Courts used them to display rank. Mughal craftsmen set jade vessels with rubies and emeralds, and the Fabergé workshops made jewelled Easter eggs for the Russian imperial family from 1885. Painters used them too: ultramarine, ground from Afghan lapis lazuli, was reserved for key passages such as the Virgin's robe. Jewellers and watchmakers still pair rare materials with exacting craftsmanship, while some contemporary artists use gold or diamonds to comment on value itself. Look for whether costly material is displayed, disguised or questioned.
