-
Details
- Other Title
- Dragon ball necklace
- Place where the work was made
-
Kunming
→
Yunnan Province
→
China
- Date
- 20th century
- Media category
- Jewellery
- Materials used
- silver
- Dimensions
- 22.2 cm diam. (irreg.)
- Credit
- Dee Court Fund 2008
- Location
- Not on display
- Accession number
- 24.2008
- Copyright
- Artist information
-
Miao people
Works in the collection
- Share
-
About
This large and heavy neck ornament is made from two double-headed dragons with a body of twisting silver wire. The two larger dragons bite over a silver bead. The Miao are an ethnic minority in China and are situated in the provinces of Hunan, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangxi, with the majority in Guizhou. They are closely related to the Hmong ethnic groups of Southeast Asia. The often large silver jewellery, produced and crafted by men, is an important element of Miao culture. They believe the dragon is a protecting god whom they worship in their ceremonies and they also adopt the dragon motif in their decorative arts.
Asian Art Department, AGNSW, January 2012
-
Exhibition history
Shown in 3 exhibitions
One hundred flowers (2011), Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 01 Sep 2011–15 Jan 2012
Dragon (2012), Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 18 Jan 2012–06 May 2012
A fine possession: jewellery and identity, Powerhouse Museum, Ultimo, 24 Sep 2014–20 Jun 2016