Portrait of a Man (formerly called Cowper the Poet)

NOMA’s collection includes examples with hair styled into bouquets with gold flowers, laid out with seed pearl initials, or braided into a bracelet.

In the late nineteenth century, hair jewelry worn in tribute to a deceased loved one became popular. Queen Victoria (1819–1901) led this trend. After her husband Prince Albert’s death in 1861, for the remainder of her life the Queen wore a locket with the Prince’s hair and a mourning ring with his micro-portrait.