Antique Pendant with Enamel Painting in Gold, Austria-Hungary Around 1890

Masquerade

Antique Pendant with Enamel Painting in Gold, Austria-Hungary Around 1890

€ 980.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Description

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

We associate the gallant age of the Rococo with drama, exuberance and, last but not least, the romance of the masked ball. Casanova is known to have responded to the call of a beautiful woman from Cologne and celebrated carnival in Bonn in the mid-18th century. In his memoirs, he writes: "As a pleasure was in prospect, I inquired immediately and learned that the entire nobility of Cologne had been invited. It was a masked ball, so anyone could enter." Masking was the central interest of such parties. It made it possible to forget class distinctions for one fun-filled evening. Even at the supper, people often sat in a "colorful row" instead of in the otherwise prescribed seating arrangement according to class, and the dance itself appealed with an otherwise unknown informality: on no other evening could a lady-in-waiting dance with the king, a member of the lower nobility with a duchess. The mask was both an occasion and a license for revelry. It is not surprising that pieces of jewellery were created in Casanova's time that paid homage to this amusement with their mask shape. English "carnival rings" from the late 18th and early 19th century are coveted collector's items, and we also know of small boxes for beauty spots. But more than a century later, at the end of the 19th century, people were still attracted by the idea of the masked ball. The daily routine of people in the Victorian era was determined by strict morals - the masked ball once again offered an opportunity to escape! Once again, plays were created that referred to the Rococo period and the earlier jewels. This pendant presents a detailed enamel painting dedicated to this theme: the round, shield-shaped plaque shows a Rococo lady with a black mask, her eyes peering curiously out from beneath it. She is wearing a sky-blue dress and a veil of the same color, which covers her powdered wig. A rose on her décolleté adds a romantic touch. The painting is held by a narrow setting made of gold-plated silver, which in turn is surrounded by a hexagonal setting made of gold. This makes the painting wearable as a pendant. According to the hallmark, the frame was made in Austria-Hungary. Together with the painting, which was probably created at the same time, we date it to the last years of the 19th century. We have added a matching gold chain to this unusual pendant so that it can be worn immediately.

Size & Details

Masquerade

€ 980.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

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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.

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