Brooch in a rectangular form made out of patinated and etched copper and stone. At the center is an embossed, relieved dimensional figure of an eye. Upper lids slightly raised and the bottom area has a curved groove. The sclera and iris are separated and raised creating the dimensional effect. The iris is etched and is filled in with black. Several text and symbols are also etched on the sides of the brooch. On the left, an arrow pointing upwards with the text “hva” on top of it. The letter “E” appears on its left. On the right side is an arrow pointing down with the text “hve” beneath it.

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See more objects with the tag rectangular, engraved, eye, human body.

Object Timeline

1995	Work on this object began.
2016	We acquired this object. We photographed this object. We photographed this object.
2017	We photographed this object. We exhibited this object.
2024	You found it!

Eye Brooch

This is a brooch. It was designed by Bruno Martinazzi. It is dated ca. 1995 and we acquired it in 2016. Its medium is patinated and etched copper, stone. It is a part of the Product Design and Decorative Arts department.

Renowned as a sculptor and goldsmith, Bruno Martinazzi developed a visual language that places the human body and spirit at the center of his jewelry creations. His pieces are unmistakable in their bold renderings of specific parts of the body—eyes, lips, hands, breasts, and buttocks—and convey complex layers of meaning.

This object was donated by Susan Lewin. It is credited The Susan Grant Lewin Collection, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

Cat's Eye Candleholder
frosted glass.
1991-149-20

Milker of my Eye Plate
diam.: 36.3 cm (14 5/16 in.).
Gift of S.C.Johnson & Son, Inc..
1980-18-7

Poster, Eye Bee M (IBM)
offset lithograph.
Gift of Marion S. Rand.
2002-11-20

Our curators have highlighted 3 objects that are related to this one.

Poster, Bayerns Staatliche Museen: Kunst Öffnet die Augen

Poster, Bayerns Staatliche Museen: Kunst Öffnet die Augen
offset lithograph on paper.
Gift of Unknown Donor.
1994-114-37

Tablet with built in keyboard. The tablet is placed on a handsfree metal stand. The tablet has six rows in total. On the top row are three long space bars keys and one key with a symbol of a talk bubble icon and a question mark in the middle. On the second row is button that says 'space' and next to it is a long white blank rectangular key. Then there is a key with a person and a talk icon above their head with the words 'Speak' below. The last key on the row is a space key. On the third row below are seven keys with the letters 'a, b, c, d, e, f, g'. On the forth row below are seven keys with the letters 'h, i, j, k, l, m, n'. On the fifth row below are seven keys with the letters 'o, p, q, r, s, t, u'. The last row has seven keys with the letters 'v, w, x, y, z.' The last two keys are of a period and then comma.

Tablet, Tobii Dynavox EyeMobile Plus with Keyboard (Communicator 5 Software),...
tobii is4 eye tracker, infrared glass, eye tracker metal frame.
Lent by Tobii Dynavox.
65.2017.1

Page from the booklet for the exhibition, “Das Wunder des Lebens” ('The Miracle of Life'). The page contains a close-up of a person’s eye. The eye is blue, with a reddish-brown eyebrow above. Directly below, an illustration printed in black of what appears to be a camera obscura appears inside an oval. German text printed in black appears at upper left and lower left. Verso: An array of gold objects that appear to be models explaining the cell division of organisms and their shadows appear against a purple background. German text printed in black appears at upper left.

Booklet Page, Page from Das Wunder des Lebens (The Miracle of Life)
gravure print on paper.
Museum purchase with funding provided by the Buddy Taub Foundation, Dennis A.....
2016-54-57

Its dimensions are

H x W x D: 2.7 × 5.7 × 1.5 cm (1 1/16 × 2 1/4 × 9/16 in.)

It has the following markings

On reverse - "MARTINAZZI" etched or scratched on surface. Paper label with "M3.05".

Cite this object as

Eye Brooch; Designed by Bruno Martinazzi (Italian, b. 1923); patinated and etched copper, stone; H x W x D: 2.7 × 5.7 × 1.5 cm (1 1/16 × 2 1/4 × 9/16 in.); The Susan Grant Lewin Collection, Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum; 2016-34-70

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Jewelry of Ideas: Gifts from the Susan Grant Lewin Collection.

Short URL http://cprhw.tt/o/R36Bn/
Accession Number 2016-34-70
Object ID 554917399