Vintage Blackamoor African Woman Mask Brooch 14k GP Diaspora Village Queen Braid

Description

Vintage Blackamoor African Woman Mask Brooch - Braided hair & earrings  finished in 14k rich gold and face finished in matte black enamel.  Measures: 1 1/4" W  x 1 3/4"L
Condition: Enamel & Gold finish are both in good vintage condition. There are a few fine scratches on the face, but as seen in the pictures, its beauty is not diminished by them.
As jewelry, such figures usually appear in antique Venetian (though nowadays they are crafted by many Artisans throughout the world)  earrings,  bracelets, cuff links, necklaces, and brooches. Some contemporary craftsmen continue to make individual pieces, but it is rare because of modern issues with the depiction of dark-skinned people as "exotic" and decorative. They are also a traditional type of earring in Rijeka under the name morčić.
The blackamoor is typically male, depicted with a head covering, usually a turban, and covered in rich jewels and gold leaf. They are typically enamelled, carved from ebony or painted black to contrast with the bright colors of the embellishments. Depictions may only represent the head, or head and shoulders, facing the viewer in a symmetrical pose.
In decorative sculpture the full body is depicted, either to hold trays as virtual servants or bronze sconces to hold candles or light fixtures. They may be incorporated into small stands, tables, or andirons. They are often portrayed in pairs. Andrea Brustolon (1662–1732) was the most important sculptor of blackamoors. Often these blackamoors are in acrobatic positions that would be impossible to hold for any extended length of time for a real person.
Collections
One of the finest examples of a blackamoor in the arts is the Mohr mit Smaragdstufe ("Moor with Emerald Cluster"), in the collection of the Grünes Gewölbe in Dresden, Germany. It was created by Balthasar Permoser in 1724. The statue is richly decorated with jewels and is 63.8 cm (2.09 ft) high.
Aleksandr Pushkin had a blackamoor figurine on his desk to remind him of Abram Petrovich Gannibal, his great-grandfather. This figure can be seen in his former St. Petersburg apartment, now turned into a museum.[c
Diana Vreeland had a famous collection of blackamoor jewelry, and Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters has some blackamoor pieces in her extensive collection of black memorabilia.