The Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum in Ramat Gan, Israel, is set to open a new exhibition of jewelry, cameos and artifacts carved from gemstones next month. The exhibition was born of a cooperative effort between the Israeli museum and the German Deutsches Edelsteinmuseum, is based mainly on the work of master carvers from the town of Idar-Oberstein, Germany where the museum is located.
The exhibition, entitled “And Thou Shalt Breathe Life into a Gem,” includes a variety of nearly 150 sculptures, cameos, utensils and other jewelry items whose reported total value adds up to about one million dollars. It includes an array of animals, human figurines, flowers, fruits, and other shapes carved from a range of different gemstones including: agate, amethyst, carnelian, chalcedony, onyx, quartz, rose quartz, ruby emerald, sapphire and tourmaline.
“Carved gemstones are part of the crown jewels worldwide. They are most desired items in prestigious jewelery shops and serve as an artistic expression for jewelers who wish to be regarded as artists of miniature sculpture,” said chairman of the Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum, Shmuel Schnitzer.
Schnitzer explained that the exhibition is part of a continuing effort of the Israeli Diamond Industry to broaden the interests of the
diamond community and general public and also reveals the close existing relations between Israel and Germany.
“These master craftsman, thanks to their artistry, have succeeded in using the colors and textured and even the imperfections of the gemstones to create objects that come alive with warmth and spirit,” said artistic director and curator of the Oppenheimer Diamond museum, Yehuda Kassif. Kassif added that he has worked hard to bring the heritage and artistic brilliance of the Idar- Oberstein carvers to the Israeli public.
The Harry Oppenheimer Diamond Museum is a member of the Israel Diamond Institute Group of Companies (IDI) and is situated in the center of the Israeli Diamond Bursa complex. The exhibition will run from September 7th through the end of December 2010.
