Earring

c. 1955–60

Earring, c. 1955–60. Arthur George (Art) Smith, (American, 1917–1982). Sterling silver; 11.4 x 7 cm (4 1/2 x 2 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Museum purchase from various donors by exchange 2019.37.a Suspended loops hanging like mobiles form this pair of earrings by Art Smith, one of the most innovative artisan jewelers working in the 1950s and 1960s. His bold, expressive forms echo the taste for biomorphic design prevalent during this era. Smith’s work gained favor among the bohemian aesthetes of Greenwich Village in New York City, where his studio was located, as well as the uptown dandies eager to achieve a fashionable, artistic look. Art Smith’s technical skill and creative spirit trumpeted the expressive shapes and handcrafted look popular in jewelry design during the 1950s and ’60s.