William Harper
"Pagan Baby #6: The Scarab" Brooch

"Pagan Baby #6: The Scarab" Brooch

© William Harper

"Pagan Baby #6: The Scarab" Brooch
"Pagan Baby #6: The Scarab" Brooch
ArtistAmerican, born 1944
CultureAmerican
Titles
  • "Pagan Baby #6: The Scarab" Brooch
Date1977
Medium14k, 18k, and 24k gold, silver, shell, freshwater pearl, cloisonné enamel, and fine silver
DimensionsOverall: 2 11/16 × 3 5/16 × 1/2 in. (6.8 × 8.4 × 1.3 cm)
Credit LineHelen Williams Drutt Collection, museum purchase funded by the Caroline Wiess Law Foundation
Object number2002.3800
Non exposé

Explore Further

ProvenanceThe artist; acquired by Helen Williams Drutt English; purchased by MFAH, 2002.
Exhibition History"William Harper: Recent Works in Enamel," Renwick Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, 1977–1978.

"William Harper: Contemporary Jewelry," Helen Drutt: Philadelphia, November 8–December 2, 1978.

"Modern Jewelry, 1964-1986: The Helen Williams Drutt Collection," The Château Dufresne, Montreal Museum of Decorative Arts, November 15, 1984–February 3, 1985; Honolulu Academy of Arts, January 22–March 9, 1986; Cleveland Institute of Art, September 5–30, 1986; Philadelphia Museum of Art, November 2, 1986–February 1, 1987.

"William Harper: Artist as Alchemist," Orlando Museum of Art, November 4–December 10, 1989; Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustimuseum, Trondheim, Norway, January 8–February 11, 1990; Kunstverein, Coburg, West Germany, March 5–April 8, 1990; Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus, Hanau, West Germany, April 30–June 3, 1990; L'Art de L'Email, Limoges, France, July 1–August 31, 1990; American Craft Museum, New York, October 5, 1990–January 6, 1991; Cummer Gallery of Art, Jacksonville, Florida, January 21–February 24, 1991; Arkansas Art Museum, Little Rock, March 18–April 21, 1991; Oklahoma City Art Museum, May 13–June 16, 1991.

"Contemporary Jewelry: 1964-1993, Selected Works, Helen Williams Drutt Collection," Arkansas Art Center Decorative Arts Museum, Little Rock, October 8–November 21, 1993.

"Schmuck Unserer Zeit, 1964-1993, Sammlung Helen Williams Drutt, USA," Museum Bellerive, Zürich, February 10–May 1, 1994.

"A Moveable Feast: Helen Williams Drutt Collection 1964-1994," Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, November 18, 1994–January 8, 1995; Museum voor Moderne Kunst, Ostend, Belgium; June 17–September 24, 1995.

"Ornament as Art: Avant-Garde Jewelry from the Helen Williams Drutt Collection," Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, September 30, 2007–January 27, 2008; Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, March 14–July 6, 2008; Mint Museum of Craft and Design, Charlotte, August 16, 2008–January 4, 2009; Tacoma Art Museum, Washington, June 27–September 13, 2009.

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.

"Pagan Baby #12: The Green Scarab" Brooch
William Harper
1978
14k and 24k gold, silver, bronze, scarab shell, pearls, bone, glass, cloisonné enamel, fine gold, and fine silver
2002.3801
"Pagan Baby #4: The Serpent" Brooch
William Harper
1977
14 and 18k gold, silver, fresh and saltwater pearls, snake rattle, shell, cloisonné enamel, and copper
2002.3799
Amuletic Neckpiece #2
William Harper
1980
24k gold, silver, cloisonné and champlevé enamel on copper and fine silver, 14k gold, and sterling silver
2002.3804
"Small Landscape" Pin
William Harper
1979
14k gold, silver, jade, agate, baroque pearls, cloisonné enamel, and copper
2002.3802
"Unrequited Valentine #3" Brooch
William Harper
1979
14k gold, silver, baroque pearl, pearl, cloisonné enamel, and copper
2002.3803
The Magician's Chain
William Harper
2003
Gold, enamel, fine silver, 14k, 18k, and 24k gold, and carnelian
2010.2078
Brooch
Albert Paley
1969
14k gold, sterling silver, and freshwater and baroque pearls
2002.4000
"The Swimmer of Dreams" Brooch
Elizabeth Garrison
1988
Fine and sterling silver, enamel, copper, 14k gold, ebony, and fossil ivory
2002.3771
Barbarian Bracelet #2
William Harper
1980
Sterling silver, 24K gold, cloisonné enamel, and mercury gilding
2002.3805
Neckpiece for Zymrina, a Prostitute of Pompeii
Keith A. Lewis
2002
Sterling silver, fine silver, 24k gold plate, enamel on copper, and pearls
2007.456.A-.E
Kilim III
William Harper
1995
Gold, enamel, fine silver and gold, 14k and 22k gold, sterling silver, and labradorite
2010.2077
Brooch
1829
14k yellow gold, enamel, seed pearls, hair, and glass
2005.1770