Mastery of Design: The Garnet Fishing Locket, Eighteenth Century

Memorial Locket
Eighteenth Century
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Human hair had long been employed in the making of sentimental jewelry, usually for memorial purposes, but sometimes to mark a deep love for someone still living.  By the Eighteenth Century, jewelers, and even amateurs, had mastered the art of using hair in jewelry and the medium took on a new prominence—forming the centerpiece of a jewel. 

This drop-shaped gold frame features an openwork bow which has been set with garnets.  The frame encloses a painting on ivory which is adorned with pieces of hair to create the pattern of a man fishing.  The reverse of the piece is set with agate

This piece was probably made as a memorial.  It comes from England and is rather difficult to date.  Most likely, it was created in the Eighteenth Century given the skill with which the hair was incorporated into the painting.