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Pendants Pending earrings

Designed by: Man Ray (American, 1890–1976)
Made by: GEM Montebello (active 1967–1978)
Italian
1970
Object Place: Milan, Italy

Medium/Technique Gold (18k)
Dimensions Overall: 19.1 x 2.5 x 2.5 cm (7 1/2 x 1 x 1 in.)
Credit Line The Daphne Farago Collection
Accession Number2006.465.1-2

Man Ray, a key member of the Dada and Surrealist groups in early 20th-century Paris, looked to a lampshade he designed in 1919 for these curled earrings. He created the design for GianCarlo Montebello, a fabricator who asked some of the 20th century's most notable artists to apply their skills to jewelry. Artists would offer a design to be fabricated in Montebello’s workshop in Milan. These dramatic, oversized, shoulder duster earrings are part of an edition of twelve—a smaller version called “Les Boucles” was also produced. French actress Catherine Deneuve famously wore a pair in a photograph taken by Man Ray in 1966. Unlike traditional earrings that are pushed through the ear or clipped to the lobe, these earrings are hung from a wire that sits over the back of the ear.

Description18kt gold spirals, signed and numbered from an edition of 12. According to invoice, "Made in 1970 in the form of lampshades which appear in a photograph of Catherine Deneuve taken by Man Ray 1966."
Signed Each earring is marked on both detachable hoop and earring "750" "782 M1", third mark is "GEM" for the maker Gem Montebello
"Man Ray 7/12"
Box on back stamped in gold "GM Gem Montebello"; interior lining of box stamped in gold 'Man Ray"
Provenance1970, Joan Sonnabend; 2003, purchased by Daphne Farago (October 23, 2003); 2006, gift of Daphne Farago to the MFA (Accession date: January 25, 2006)
Copyright© 2011 Man Ray Trust / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris.
GianCarlo Montebello curator of the GEM MONTEBELLO Archives