'SAINT CHRISTOPHER SEBASTIAN' A CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL, SILVER AND GOLD NECKLACE, 1981

William Harper is a widely recognized jeweler with pieces in more that 25 museum collections. His jewelry is made of precious materials that evoke rich imagery. His creations are described by Toni Greenbaum in the exhibition catalogue, William Harper: The Barbarian's Trapeze and Other Jewels, as a combination of extremes, both thematically and materially. He merges found objects with precious metals and jewels and combines images from opposing themes, such as tribal versus modern, male versues female and high culture versus low. The present lot offered, Saint Sebastian, as described by Toni Greenbaum, is an example of a piece that illustrates Harper's theme of extremes. The imagery merges African and Western European beliefs. The arrows piercing Saint Sebastian suggest the nails hammered into an African effigy, as well as evoking the martyrdom of Christ.