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Oct 15, 2026DE

Large Brooch with Antique Enamel Painting, Diamonds, Pearls & Sapphire

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 followed 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 the otherwise prescribed seating arrangement according to class, and the dance itself was attractive 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. The cheerful world of rococo came to an end with the French Revolution. But by the end of the 19th century, people were once again longing for a little libertinage and lightness. 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, pieces were created that referenced the Rococo period and the earlier jewels - especially in the medium of enamel painting. Such iconic Victorian enamel painting is used in this brooch. We see a lady in a rococo costume, with rosy cheeks and a rose in her hair. She is wearing a black mask, with only her eyes peeking out. Masks like this, the so-called "morette", were widespread in Venice in the 18th century. The deep black surface of the mask and the detailed, fine painting of the exposed face form a sharp but also attractive contrast. The enamel painting was created at the end of the 19th century. The large brooch that frames it today was added 100 years later. It makes a wonderful reference to the painting. It surrounds the painting with pearls as white as the lady's hair, a shining sapphire to match the color of her hood, pendulums of cut onyx to match the mask, rosy coral to match the cheeks and diamonds as white as her hair. It is made of gold and is finished by hand to a very high standard. We discovered the brooch here in Berlin. Cf. with illustrations of other lockets with corresponding painting, e.g. Ginny Reddington Dawes / Olivia Collings: Georgian Jewellery 1714-1830, Woodbridge 2007, p. 21

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Large Brooch with Antique Enamel Painting, Diamonds, Pearls & Sapphire

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Estimation:

€4,290

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