Description & Product Details
This piece of art combines the crafts of Maasaï Mara beading and traditional French framing. Famous for their fearsome reputations as warriors and cattle-rustlers, the Maasaï’s beading has been in existence for hundreds of years. It is an expression of their cultural values and traditions and the necklaces are mostly worn during weddings, rituals and community events. This necklace comes from southern Kenya, where most Maasaï live in semi-nomadic tribes. It was framed by Michèle Bernard, a passionate craftswoman who has been building frames as decorative art and as a science of preservation in her Paris-based atelier for over 40 years. For this piece, she custom-made a black frame from wood with anti-glare and UV protective glass, and a matching black backdrop to ensure that the necklace’s vibrant colours and structurefully resonate.
Composition & Colour
- Beaded Maasaï Necklace from Kenya – Different colours hold special meaning: Red signifies blood, bravery, and unity. White represents health, peace, and purity. Blue is the colour of the sky and represents energy, and green is the colour of grass, which signifies the land and production. Black represents the people and the struggle they must endure. Yellow symbolizes the sun, fertility, and growth, and orange represents warmth, generosity, and friendship.
- Black wooden frame
- Anti-glare, UV protective glass
Size
Frame: 38cm (width) x 42cm (height)