"Morettos" in Italian, these figures usually appear in antique Venetian (though nowadays they can be made anywhere) jewelry as earrings, bracelets, cuff links, and brooches. Some contemporary craftsmen continue to make individual pieces, but it is rare because of the modern issues of depicting Black people as "exotic" and decorative. The blackamoor is depicted with a head covering, usually a Turban, and covered in rich jewels and gold leaf. It's always a man, and usually has white racial features, but enamelled, carved from ebony or painted black to contrast with the bright colours of the embellishments. Depictions are only of the head, or head and shoulders, facing the viewer in a symmetrical pose.
Jul B. Dizon Jewellery made our first Blackamoor in 1994. It was 5 inches big made in blackened silver with a turban filled with gems. At that time, no one really understood what it was and why we would design something that touches a bit of a racial issue. It took a while but they got sold eventually to clients who understood the significance of this design.
14 years later, we have made a total of about 40 blackamoors and all are still one of a kind, wearing different kinds of turbans and clothing.
Here's what Ginny Dizon's take on the brooch that is now in demand in Europe and America.
14 karat yellow gold with black spinel, citrine, garnet and tourmaline with dangling garnet drops and spinel beads, German carved black onyx face.
Silver with yellow gold accents with a headdress of peridot, amethyst, trillions of peridot, garnet and iolite and dress of smokey topaz, citrine, garnet, amethyst, poppy and paraiba topaz and drops of carnelian, turquoise, smokey topaz and black spinel.
Tourmaline wings (11.207 carats) with citrine, iolite and garnet trillions with lemon topaz (23.16 carats), spessartite garnet, mozambique garnet, black spinel, iolite and garnet beads.
Available at Jul B. Dizon Jewellery Salon
The Peninsula Manila
2nd Floor
info@juldizon.com
