Object Details
Maker
Unidentified artist
Label Text
Heart-shaped pendants, known as tchor, may be a variation on the kostine, a large central pendant that to some degree resembles a flower basket. Tchor, derived from the French word ille for heart, has been a favorite design throughout the 20th century. With its central rosette, zigzag filigree, and hollow core—all Senegalese aesthetic techniques—in the shape of a French-inspired heart, this necklace visually represents Senegal’s multiple coexisting, and sometimes conflicting, histories.
Description
Gold alloy heart shaped pendant necklace on a manufactured chain with springring clasp. The heart pendant is hollow and decorated with a central tiered rosette surrounded by four smaller rosettes, with openwork petals, surmounted by an applied globule. All are encircled with a geometric filigree and a knotted wire design. Small trefoil adorns the bottom of the heart. The back of the pendant is a hammered flat sheet of metal, with hooks visible from attaching the decorative elements.
Provenance
Marian Johnson, purchased in Dakar, Senegal, 1963-late 20th century to 2012
Exhibition History
Good As Gold: Fashioning Senegalese Women, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., October 24, 2018-February 2, 2020; North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, September 16, 2020-January 3, 2021
Published References
Maples, Amanda, Ashby Johnson, Marian, and Dumouchelle, Kevin D., 2018, Good As Gold, Washington, D.C.: NMAfA, Smithsonian, p. 64, illustrated p. 3, p. 66
Content Statement
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Credit Line
Gift of Dr. Marian Ashby Johnson
Date
Early to mid-20th century
Object number
2012-18-25
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
Jewelry
Medium
Gold alloy
Dimensions
H x W x D: 5.3 x 4.8 x 1.8 cm (2 1/16 x 1 7/8 x 3/4 in.)
Chain : 66.7 cm (26 1/4 in.)
Geography
Senegal
See more items in
National Museum of African Art Collection
Data Source
National Museum of African Art
Topic
Adornment
Female use
heart
male
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmafa_2012-18-25