Details
Beauty and glamour are the enduring qualities of jewellery. Kundan and enamelling are two outstanding forms of crafting jewellery. While kundan is used to decorate the front of an ornament enamelling is used for decorating both sides. Enamelling not only enhances the value and beauty of jewellery but also serves as a parameter to test the purity of precious metals.
Introduced by Europeans enamelling was widely used during the Mughal period. The best specimens of enamelled jewellery have been produced during this period. Surprisingly little has been written about this art. Handcrafted Indian enamel jewellery examines the history and varied techniques of enamelling and also discusses techniques that closely resemble enamelling but are distinct from it.
With time the art of enamelling has deteriorated yet the demand for quality work found only in old pieces may lend a new lease of life to this art form.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Rita Devi Sharma is an Indian numismatist jewellery expert and an epigraphist. She has done extensive research on the art of enamelling with many jewellery experts and enamellers throughout India. She is the In Charge of the jewellery collection in the National Museum Delhi.
Muthusamy Varadarajan was an IAS officer from 1956 to 1991. He was also a member of the National Minorities Commission and was the Secretary Culture to the Government of India in the 1980s. Henry Moore exhibition in India was organized under his initiative among many others. He was also the artistic director of the pioneering son-et-lumiere project at Vivekananda Rock Memorial Kanyakumari. He also received the French government's highest civilian award - Chevalier de La Legion d'Honneur - for his invaluable contribution to Indo-French co-operation in the fields of culture and academics.
