19th C. French 19k Gold Brooch with Enamel Portrait of a Masked Lady

拍品描述

Western Europe, probably France, ca. 1860–1890 CE. A portrait brooch centered on an oval painted enamel plaque of a young woman in Louis XVI dress. A cobalt-blue loo mask is drawn across her eyes. Her powdered coiffure rises high and is threaded with blue ribbons. A coral-toned necklace sits above a russet bodice. The enamel is high in lead and contains arsenic, which is typical of the bright, fusible enamels of the period. The mount tests at 80 percent gold, about 19.2 karats. It is built in the revival manner: a pierced, gadrooned oval topped and footed by rosettes and flanked by openwork scrolls. Two striated lozenge drops hang from fine chain swags. The brooch is mounted on an olive velvet roundel inside a gilt wood shadow frame. It is a small, playful backward glance at the masked balls of the ancien regime. Size in frame: 5.75" L x 5.6" W (14.6 cm L x 14.2 cm W); brooch: 2.5" H x 2" W (6.4 cm H x 5.1 cm W); Gold quality: 80% gold (equivalent to 19.2 karats). Masked ladies in eighteenth-century dress were a favorite subject for painted enamels in the later nineteenth century. During the Second Empire and the decades after it, there was a vogue for Louis XVI fashions and the masquerade balls of Versailles. Portrait plaques like this one were painted in quantity for jewelers and fitted into brooches, lockets, and boxes. Enamel analysis shows the portrait contains up to 12% arsenic and up to 51% lead. Handle it with care and do not wear it against the skin for long periods. SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).For those not using LiveAuctioneers' Live Ship program, Artemis Fine Arts offers expert in-house packing and worldwide shipping. With over 20 years of experience, our team provides careful, reliable, and affordable service. For a quick quote on this lot, please contact support@artemisfinearts.com prior to the auction, or call 720-890-7700. PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception. Item #205506

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