Gold, baroque pearl, enamel and diamond pendant, Southern Italian, 17th Century

Designed as a dancing carnival figure of lady, with a fruit and floral head dress, highlighted with pendants set with rose diamonds, the body composed of a baroque pearl, to a pierced scroll work skirt further highlighted with rose diamonds and polychrome enamel.

Overall the condition of the pendant is good. There is some wear to the surface consistent with age and handling. The Baroque pearl has some pitting and discolouration to the side and reverse. There are some signs of restoration to the back and front with traces of lead solder. There is slight movement to the head dress. The chains are later. There are some minor losses to the metalwork and the enamel. Measurement: 8.5cm., 3 3/8 in.
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The use of the baroque pearl in this jewel clearly demonstrates the skill of the jeweller in adapting a natural phenomenon as a sculptural element. Baroque pearls were skilfully incorporated into jewels from the 16^th century and remained popular into the 18^th.  The colourful enamel to the headdress, shoulders and torso as well as the presence of further botanical elements incorporated in the pierced scrolling foliate skirt can be found on Spanish and Southern Italian jewels of the late 17^th and early 18^th centuries.  Note the similar use of polychrome enamelled floral  elements  in the pendant in the Real Monasterio de la Encarnacíon illustrated in the Joyeria Espanola museum catalogue and the floral dress brooch in the Museo Regionale Pepoli  in Sicily (inv. No.5478).

Related Literature:
Ori e Argenti  in Sicilia,  exh.cat.Museo Regionale Pepoli, Trapani, Milan 1989
La Joyeria Espanola de Felipe II a Alfonso XIII, Ministerio de Educacion y Cultura , Madrid 1998 no 113.