Headdress Ornament
Unknown Artist
18th–19th century
Medium
Gold, feathers, jade, pearls, topaz, carnelian, pink quartan
Dimensions
H. 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm); L. 7 1/2 in. (19.1 cm)
Classification
Jewelry
Culture
China
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
John Stewart Kennedy Fund, 1915
Accession Number
15.95.188
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Headdress Ornament from 18th–19th China exemplifies the opulent craftsmanship of the Qing dynasty, a period renowned for its imperial splendor and elaborate personal adornments. Crafted gold, vibrant feathers, jade, pearls topaz, carnel, and pink quartz, piece measures a delicate 1¾ inches high and 7½ inches long. Such luxurious materials were reserved for the elite, symbolizing wealth, status, and harmony with nature—jade for purity and imperial favor, feathers for vitality, and gemstones evoking the Five Elements central to Chinese cosmology. In Chinese culture, headdress orn...