William Edgar Brigham

Nature was a great source of inspiration for metalsmith William Edgar Brigham. He created dozens of sketches in pencil and watercolor of plants and animals, translating his drawings into patterns before settling on a design for an object. These works were made from observations of birds at the London Zoo, the first zoo established for the scientific study of animals.

Brigham’s animated painting of a parrot translates into an equally expressive and colorful repeating pattern. This pattern then manifests in a design for a pendant with the same flowering foliage, which morphs into an elegant teardrop shape that forms the parrot’s perch. Even as a static object, Brigham’s parrot pendant incorporates the movement and liveliness of his real-life rendering. Similarly, his drawings of pheasants are brought to life in a design for a bowl that places the bird within a bejeweled habitat of gems, enamel, and silver. [See also: 63.011.157, 63.011.164, 63.011.165, 63.011.166].