This handmade pendant comes from the royal palace of Solo. One of the most important hybrid styles of jewellery in island Southeast Asia are the Indo-European styles that fused European techniques and forms with a distinct Indonesian sensibility. This piece illustrates key aspects of this fusion.The Indo-European styles of jewellery illustrate the impact of European culture and colonial rule on the material cultures of Indonesia. The co-option of local rulers and aristocracy was an important strategy in Dutch colonial policy in the Netherland Indies. Many pieces of European jewellery were presented to the Sultans and prominent community leaders in recognition of their service to the Dutch empire. Soon after, the local rulers started to commission their own pieces which absorbed their new styles and techniques into their already developed artistic repertoire and the result was the hybrid Indo-European style of jewellery.
