Metha

Tod Pardon, Metha, 1996, sterling silver, 14k gold, copper, pigment, simulated ivory horn, wood, beads, 6 ⁷⁄₈ x 2 ¹⁄₈ x ⁷⁄₈ in. (17.5 x 5.4 x 2.3 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Martha and Pat Connell, 1996.100

Artwork Details

Title: Metha
Artist: Tod Pardon
Date: 1996
Location: Smithsonian American Art Museum
/
Luce Foundation Center
/
4th Floor
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52B
Dimensions: 6 ⁷⁄₈ x 2 ¹⁄₈ x ⁷⁄₈ in. (17.5 x 5.4 x 2.3 cm.)
Credit Line: Gift of Martha and Pat Connell
Mediums: gold
copper
silver
Mediums Description: sterling silver, 14k gold, copper, pigment, simulated ivory horn, wood, beads
Classifications: Decorative Arts
Subjects: Abstract
Figure female — full length
Object Number: 1996.100
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1996.100

Artwork Description

Metha is an example of the figural brooches that characterize Tod Pardon’s mature work. This small-scale figure recalls Colima figures of western Mexico and Cycladic art of ancient Greece, and incorporates the leg-wrapping tradition of the Masai warriors of Kenya. By including a display pedestal in the work, Pardon departs from conventional ideas of the function of jewelry. He encourages the viewer to appreciate the formal relationships of color, form, and texture.