Noble Simplicity and Quiet Grandeur

Antique Hardstone Cameo Mounted as a Brooch in Gold & Diamonds, c. 1865 & later

€ 2,980.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Antique Hardstone Cameo Mounted as a Brooch in Gold & Diamonds, c. 1865 & later

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

Portraits of people of African descent are rare in European art history – and even rarer are those that do not convey racist ideas. For this reason, we were particularly pleased to discover this cameo. Carved in hardstone, we see the portrait of a young Black woman in profile. But what makes this portrait so special? Unlike most depictions of people of colour, which were occasionally carved into cameos in the third quarter of the 19th century, this cameo is neither caricatured nor excessively adorned with gold jewellery, i.e. it is not a camée habillé. In terms of content, these camées habillés are similar to the so-called "Blackamoor" objects that had been produced in Europe since the early modern period. In them, people of colour were often depicted wearing excessive amounts of jewellery, and degraded to "exotic" ornaments. Here, however, the young woman has been depicted simply and elegantly in a neoclassical manner: Her facial expression is calm and serious, the cut is fine and her very young, almost childlike features appear natural. Her hairstyle and robe are reminiscent of ancient Greek depictions of goddesses, whose aesthetics came back into fashion in the 1860s in a modernized form. Joanna Mary Wells' Portrait of Fanny Eaton from 1861, the Jamaican-born muse of the London Pre-Raphaelites, for example, shows a similar robe and hairstyle. It almost seems as if the young woman had actually sat as a model for the artist. In fact, few cameos of the time were also created as portraits of actual people rather than engravings of mythological or historical figures. However, we can no longer tell the actual history of the cameo, the background to its creation – there is only one chapter it reveals with certainty: the solid frame made of matte yellow gold was only created a good century later than the cameo in its diamond wreath. Thanks to it, the cameo can be worn safely as a brooch again today. Thanks to a concealed eyelet, a fine chain or velvet ribbon can also be threaded through it, and the piece of jewellery becomes a pendant.

Size & Details

Noble Simplicity and Quiet Grandeur

€ 2,980.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.

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Noble Simplicity and Quiet Grandeur

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