Art & Alchemy: Lansford’s Prospera Jewelry Collection
by Kate Bonansinga and Jane Milosch
Image courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery, London
I believe that working with metal is a form of magic. With a torch in my hand, I am simultaneously artist, alchemist, and shaman, participating in the centuries-old ritual of turning raw materials into precious objects.
Victoria Lansford1
Victoria Lansford’s Prospera collection (1991-2024) is comprised of nearly forty works and includes rings, cuffs, pendants, brooches, amulets, chains and other objets d’art including a Venetian Carnival mask. Lansford’s endless ability to conjure up so many different-but-related objects invites the wearer and viewer into her captivating and wondrous world.
As she states:
I love pieces that are reminiscent of what a Medieval alchemist might have owned, objects of power and insight, designed to illuminate the wearer’s way.
Prospero is the protagonist in William Shakespeare’s (1564-1616) The Tempest, which was first performed about 1611 during the reign of King James I. However, James’s predecessor, Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603), ruled England during most of Shakespeare’s lifetime, so Lansford’s gender-power shift from Prospero the duke to Prospera the duchess is appropriate to the period. Queen Elizabeth I patronized the alchemical art: it was considered sacred, and through it a ruler could access God’s blessing.2 Magic and alchemy are the connecting forces between The Tempest and Lansford’s practice.
True to its title, The Tempest, is the story of a storm raised by Prospero, duke of Milan, who years earlier had been overthrown from his rule and set adrift in a boat by his brother. Prospero, who was more interested in books and magic than in the pragmatics of governing, had consequently been vulnerable to this upset in his sovereignty. While exiled and marooned on an island with his daughter Miranda, Prospero is able to advance his magic through the study of nature and the supernatural. When seemingly by chance his brother and ruling Neapolitans sail near Prospero’s island, he conjures up a tempestuous storm that grounds their ship. His spells create a twist-and-turn of events that his traitors must suffer and endure. Ultimately, Prospero forgives them, and the kingdoms of Milan and Naples are reconciled. Shakespeare’s drama addresses both natural and inexplicable forces, and what can divide and unite families and nations.3
Lansford’s Prospera collection is inspired by Helen Mirren’s performance as Prospera in Julie Taymor’s 2010 film version of The Tempest.4 This gender swap is affirming because Shakespeare’s plays predominantly feature leading male roles, and because Lansford is a woman who has honed her skills through decades of study and work in an artisanal field that before the Modern era was predominantly a male profession. Lansford delivers her performance through jewelry fabricated from precious metals and gemstones rather than through the recitation of lines from Shakespeare. Her designs visually render the energy and rhythm of Shakespeare’s drama. Her lines of gold and silver wire—especially exquisite filigree with its twists-and-turns—are mesmerizing.
Lansford explains:
I imagine the objects that the wildly powerful Prospera might have worn as she consulted her magical texts and wove her ultimate spells. I offer the work in this collection so that you might wear it to create your own magic.
Pendants
One can imagine Prospera wearing Lansford’s Relativity Navigator, rotating pendant, 2015, relishing in its beauty and magic, and its constellation of forms that are endless due to the pendant’s rotating disks. This circular pendant is constructed from concave and converse dome forms that are joined and richly ornamented on the front and back. Some of Lansford’s inspiration for this work stems from her interest in Einstein’s General Relativity theory, black holes, quantum theory, and astrolabes, an astronomical instrument that dates to ancient times and served as a star chart, and as a physical model of the visible heavenly bodies.
She explains:
After looking at images of astrolabes I became rather obsessed with the idea that a rotating wearable piece might show different perspectives within the same image.
Relativity Navigator is a witty marriage of form and expression characteristic of Lansford’s jewelry. She masterfully adorns the surfaces of the pendant in gold and silver so that its coloration and textures are ever-changing as the work moves. Both the front granulation disk and the starfish-shaped Russian filigree piece behind it rotate. As they spin in different directions they create new patterns, and the view through the front of the disk changes, much like a kaleidoscope. Made from 24k gold, sterling and fine silver, the pendant relies on a Koroit opal to hold everything together visually. (Paradoxically, Einstein’s theory of relativity succinctly states that there is no fixed point in the universe and that everything is moving relative to everything else5). Lansford sees the pendant’s center as a fixed point, a metaphor for the human desire for certainty.
22k gold wire, 24k gold leaf, sterling, fine silver, Koroit opal
1.875 x 1.875 x 0.625 in.24 in. chain
Photo by Pat Vasquez-Cunningham
The two-sided design and decoration of Relativity Navigator harkens back to ancient Celtic brooches such as the famous Hunterston Brooch with its sumptuous filigree and granulation and Viking-era brooches in the Galloway Hoard, National Museum of Scotland. But Lansford’s pendant hangs, moves, and swings from a handcrafted, fine silver Roman-style chain, and this kinetic combination recalls the shape and function of a compass, pocket watch, and sundial necklace. Lansford’s Prospera collection also includes earlier pendant-and-chain examples similar to Relativity Navigator, such as Uncertainty Principle, 2004, and Contemplation Compass, 2005, which incorporate moving dials and parts.
Photo by Pat Vasquez-Cunningham
Cast, fabricated, granulation, filigree, and engraved brooch, c.700 AD Gold, silver, amber
Diameter 122mm, height 36mm Collection of the National Museum of Scotland
Image courtesy of the museum
She explains:
The ability to bring forth objects that do not yet exist mimics the universe’s constant cycle of chaos and order. I imagine Prospera would surround herself with just such reminders, wearable objects derived from stardust and reborn from fire.
Photo by Pat Vasquez-Cunningham
Image courtesy of the museum
Rings
Our knowledge of 16th- and 17th-century Elizabethan-era jewelry is complicated because of its scarcity.6 Extant ancient jewelry only survived because it was buried, either with the deceased owner or to protect it from marauding armies. On the other hand, most Renaissance jewelry fell victim to war, greed and the fickleness of fashion. It was often sold to finance battles or altered to suit new styles.7 A necklace worn by Mary Queen of Scots (James’ mother), now owned by National Museums of Scotland, is comprised of delicate enameled links set with pearls, rubies and garnets and credited to the jeweler Francois Clouet. But this example is somewhat rare.
18k and 22k gold, sterling, pink tourmaline
1.3 x 0.875 x 0.625 in
Photos by Pat Vasquez-Cunningham
Therefore, Lansford looks to a buried, medieval hoard, rather than to the jewelry of Shakespeare’s time, as inspiration for one of the pieces in the Prospera series. Majestic, gold granulation ring, 2018, was inspired by the pyramidal sword mounts discovered at Sutton Hoo, an early 7th-century grave unearthed in 1939 in Suffolk, England. Pyramids reference integration of self and soul, death and rebirth. In the context of this series, this supernatural influence is parallel to that of Prospera, who used magic to create illusions to control situations. Majestic, exerts its power not only through its pyramidal form, but also through its sumptuous materials and color combination of gold and red (in this case a pink tourmaline); it indicates cultivated taste and its associated social status and authority.
Lansford also looks to the rich display of jewelry and lace, as well as the symbolism, found in Tudor-era portrait paintings, specifically citing Queen Elizabeth I, 1588, in the National Portrait Gallery, London. Another, The Rainbow Portrait of Elizabeth I, c. 1600, on display at Hatfield House, depicts a rainbow with the queen’s motto Non sine sole iris (no rainbow without the sun) and refers to Elizabeth as a bringer of peace after a long storm. In context of this discussion of Lansford’s jewelry, Elizabeth I tames Prospero’s storm.
Lansford’s Prospera collection includes fifteen rings that make up much of the jewelry in this series. They conjure up multiple personalities and empower the wearer in more ways than one. Coronation Ring II, 2006, with its delicate lace-like shoulder of fine silver filigree, is reminiscent of the stiff lace collars worn by regal women of the Elizabethan era, and the root beer obsidian is majestically enthroned above all else. The stone emits a deep orange glow due its carefully cut facets, making it the center of attention. The 22k gold bezel enables light to penetrate it from all sides, so that it can easily be seen and admired. Lansford cites an additional source of inspiration for the design and setting as the Jazz Age, when women wore flashy cocktail rings over their long white gloves.
She explains:
The fine silver, Russian filigree is framed by 18k yellow gold to bring out the stone’s color. The bezel’s unique cage and shank are fabricated of sterling silver to reflect light, reduce weight, and add to the laciness of the structure.
18k and 22k gold, sterling, fine silver, root beer obsidian
1.438 x 0.875 x 0.875 in
Photo by Pat Vasquez-Cunningham
Photo by Pat Vasquez-Cunningham
One of the most recent additions to the Prospera collection is the ring Embraces Herself, which brings us into the 21st century because its title suggests comfort and self-care. A Peruvian opal is the focal point of the design; and its calming color is tenderly united with delicate gold and silver Russian filigree on the shank, reminiscent of ancient mazes and medieval labyrinths.
18k and 22k gold, sterling, fine silver, Peruvian opal
1 x 0.875 x 0.812 in
Photo by Pat Vasquez-Cunningham
Cuff and Brooch
All of Lansford’s jewelry is one-of-a-kind and characterized by sumptuous materials and skilled execution that contributes to the personal style of the wearer, and the cuffs and brooches in the Prospera series are no exception. For example, Spirale Sancta (Sacred Spiral), 2009, is high-relief repousse and more than two inches wide, hammered from a sheet of bi-metal, which is 22k gold fused to sterling silver. In medieval and Renaissance art, spirals were often used as decorative elements in art and architecture, symbols of divine order and perfection, reflecting the belief in a harmonious and well-ordered universe. This cuff speaks to both influence with its scale, materials, and order with its imagery.
High relief Eastern repoussé cuff bracelet, 2009
22k gold/sterling bi-metal, sterling silver
2.75 x 2.25 x 1.375 in
The Prospera collection includes a miniature—only 2 ½ inches in height—wearable memento library, Echo Knowledge, 2007, as a two-sided pendant that can be worn as a brooch or on a chain as a necklace. The Tempest is one of the treasured books depicted, as is Umberto Eco’s 1980 historical novel, The Name of the Rose, a mystery set in the medieval era that revolves around discovery, censorship, and trust.
Lansford explains:
The gothic arch is one of my beloved and frequently incorporated shapes, but also for this piece it seemed appropriate to use it to symbolize the sacredness of knowledge and the devotion we give it.
The exquisite detail and hand-fabrication of this brooch-pendant library results from Lansford’s decades-long dedication to mastering the art of Eastern repoussé and Russian Filigree techniques. The bookcase’s hinged-doors of gold and silver filigree are intricately designed as gates, to provide protection and transparency, and suggest a portable reliquary. The spines of the books are readable even when the gates are closed, enabling continuous visual access to this symbolic library.
2.5 x 1.75 x 0.75 in
Photo by Jennifer Clifton
Lansford explains further:
I chased the names of some of the authors, artists, explorers, musicians, and books that had most influenced my work up to that point.
Lansford is a voracious reader and writer, from her entertaining and educational blog posts to the books she has written, designed, and fabricated—quite literally from cover to cover. Her original illuminated manuscript to accompany her award-winning, animated e-book, Giving Voice, 2018, is also part of the Prospera collection.
Conclusion
The above paragraphs describe only a few of the many pieces in Lansford’s Prospera series, all of which employ processes that incite material reactions that during Shakespeare’s time might have been considered alchemical, akin to Prospero’s magic. Lansford adopts the persona of her magician subject by manipulating traditional jewelry materials through traditional jewelry techniques. Through this action, she empowers herself, her artwork, and those fortunate enough to wear her metaphysical jewelry that references Shakespearian theater and its time—when true alchemists sought more than the transmutation of metal; and philosophers’ gold was a metaphor for wisdom.
Lansford summarizes her metalsmithing work in this way:
The four alchemical elements of earth, water, air, and fire are present in each tiny, sculpted wire and hammered form. My artwork emboldens the wearer or viewer to connect with their own unique spirit through the external display of feminine power.
Kate Bonansinga is the Director, School of Art, College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning, University of Cincinnati
Jane Milosch is Honorary Professor, School of Culture and Creative Arts, University of Glasgow, Scotland
Notes
- All quotes provided by the artist or from her website:www.victorialansford.com
- Zamparo, M. (2022). “Alchemy in Elizabethan England.” In: Alchemy, Paracelsianism, and Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale. Palgrave Studies in Literature, Science and Medicine. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham., 35-36, 39. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05167-8_2
- Smith, H. (1974). The Tempest. In: The Riverside Shakespeare. Houghton Mifflin, 1606-10.
- In 2000, Vanessa Redgrave performed the duke’s role as Prospero in The Tempest, for the opening premier of London’s The Globe, an open air recreation of an Elizabethan theatre; in 2011, Helen Mirren performed as the duchess Prospera for a film production of The Tempest.
- Tate, K. “Einstein’s Theory of Relativity Explained,” March 5, 2015, https://www.space.com/28738- einstein-theory-of-relativity-explained-infgraphic. html#. Accessed 26 June 2024.
- Wardropper, I. (2000). “Between Art and Nature: Jewelry in the Renaissance.” In: Renaissance Jewelry in the Alsdorf Collection. Art Institute of Chicago Museum Studies, 25 (2), https://www.jstor.org/ stable/4113057
- Greenbaum, T. (1998). Review of Jewelry in America 100-1900; Tudor and Jacobean Jewellery, by M. G. Fales & D. Scarisbrick. Studies in the Decorative Arts, 6 (1), 136–137. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40662672
This essay in included in the monograph Radiant Echoes: The Metal Mastery of Victoria Lansford and appears here as part of the Radiant Echoes online exhibition
Radiant Echoes: The Metal Mastery of Victoria Lansford showcases the artist’s journey through over three decades of ground-breaking applications of historical metalsmithing techniques. This retrospective publication comprehensively not only explores Lansford’s endless ability with complex metalsmithing techniques including filigree, Eastern repoussé, and granulation, but also speaks to how her skill and vision marry in the creation of objects that filters tradition through a contemporary lens. Simultaneously an artist, alchemist, and shaman, Lansford brings together the familiar with the unexpected through creative work that rethinks the millennia-old practice of turning raw materials into precious objects.
The book features over 150 images of art jewelry, art objects, and large-scale metalwork drawn from across Lansford’s career as well as a comprehensive glossary of her techniques used, offering a unique opportunity for readers to explore the evolution of Lansford’s creativity and craftsmanship. Radiant Echoes will make a fantastic addition to the library of anyone who loves jewelry, sculpture, metalsmithing, or simply contemplating beautiful objects.
Radiant Echoes includes new essays by curators, scholars, and artists including Kate Bonansinga, Cynthia Eid, Rauni Higson, Elyse Zorn Karlin, Victoria Lansford, and Jane Milosch, with consulting editor Emily Zilber.
Full color, casebound, 186+ pages
ISBN 978-0-9821833-6-6
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