The Jewelry of Dorothea Prühl September 6, 2025–January 3, 2027
Dorothea Prühl, Migratory Birds (Zugvögel), 2025, titanium and gold, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, promised gift of the Rotasa Collection Trust. © Dorothea Prühl / photo: Matthias Ritzmann
Dorothea Prühl, Flowers from Augustenberg (Blumen aus Augustenberg), 1989, alder wood and string, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, promised gift of the Rotasa Collection Trust. © Dorothea Prühl / photo: Helga Schulze-Brinkop
Dorothea Prühl, Windflowers (Windblumen), 1989, silver, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, promised gift of the Rotasa Collection Trust. © Dorothea Prühl / photo: Helga Schulze-Brinkop
Dorothea Prühl, Butterflies (Schmetterlinge), 2008, cherrywood, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, promised gift of the Rotasa Collection Trust. © Dorothea Prühl / photo: Helga Schulze-Brinkop
Dorothea Prühl, Night Birds (Nachtvögel), 2017, titanium and gold, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, promised gift of the Rotasa Collection Trust. © Dorothea Prühl / photo: Matthias Ritzmann
“Jewelry is, for me, something fundamentally positive. It suggests strength, wealth, splendor, beauty.” —Dorothea Prühl
A celebration of sculptural form and material mastery, The Jewelry of Dorothea Prühl marks the first U.S. exhibition dedicated to the German artist. Spanning nearly five decades of her work, this presentation features a series of necklaces and brooches that exemplify Dorothea Prühl’s visionary approach to contemporary jewelry.
Internationally recognized for her bold, expressive forms crafted in wood and metal, Prühl (born 1937) trained in the traditions of the Bauhaus. Her jewelry relies on nature for inspiration—its flora, fauna, and rhythms. Whether capturing the lift of a bird’s wings or the curvature of clustered flowers, her work balances strength with grace. Each element is painstakingly carved or formed, resulting in compositions that feel both monumental and intimate.
Prühl attended the Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design in Halle, Germany, and returned to lead its jewelry and metalsmithing department for many years. In addition to shaping her own body of work, Prühl influenced generations of artists through her long career as a teacher and mentor.
Comprising necklaces and brooches dating from 1976 to 2024, The Jewelry of Dorothea Prühl comes to the MFAH through a gift from the Rotasa Foundation Trust. The Museum now holds the largest public collection of Dorothea Prühl’s jewelry in the world.
Plan Your Visit
- This exhibition is located on the Level 2 of the Kinder Building.
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Member and ALL ACCESS tickets include same-day admission to this exhibition, all Special Exhibitions, and the MFAH Permanent Collections. On Thursday, entry to this exhibition is included with a ticket to the Permanent Collections.
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The Jewelry of Dorothea Prühl / September 6, 2025–January 3, 2027
“The Jewelry of Dorothea Prühl” is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.