17th c Spanish Blue-Enameled Putto

A 17th century gold, ruby, polychrome and blue enameled putto from the collection of María Regordosa (1888-1920), one of Spain’s most important art collectors of the early 20th century. This pendant was photographed and published in 1925, as part of an exhibition hosted by The Spanish Society of Friends for the Arts (see p.219 “Catálogo de la Exposición de Orfebrería Civil Española” Madrid, 1925). Its appearance nearly a century later is largely unchanged; several condition flaws noted presently can be observed in the 1925 photo: the putto is missing a spear in his hand; only two plumes remain of his crown; an erroneous connection leads to a twist in the right chain; a bruise-like enamel chip can be seen on the right foot, as well as a crinkle to the corner of his left cape. The pendant’s sculptural quality is Renaissance in taste— the chain-suspended figural form, as well as the starry link design, are inheritances from the late 16th c. However, the blue-yellow-pink striped enameling, popular in South European jewelry after 1650, points to workmanship from the second half of the 17th c. The putto body is enameled in cobalt blue, a shade commonly used to decorate the robe of Virgin Mary in Renaissance and Baroque jewelry (see Historic Society of America inv R3406, R3504), meant to evoke the ultramarine of sacred Marian art. Another 17th c figural pendant of a mythical centaur is also partially enameled in cobalt blue (Hispanic Society of America inv R3500). The blue of the present pendant could be suggestive of the putto’s otherworldly or celestial qualities. Variant examples of the present type also exist in black enamel (see Christie’s lot 76 from 16 Jun 2013 sale, Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas inv 1.541). According to Spanish art historian Letizia Arbeteta Mira, the black-enameled puttos are uniquely Spanish jewels combining Italian cherub and Moorish warrior motifs, and can be held distinct from broadly European ‘blackamoors’, in that it is instead an exploration of Spanish heritage. South Europe has a long history of cultural, economic, and political interactions with North Africa: Spain was under three centuries of Berber rule between 711-997, while pax romana under the Roman Empire linked much of the Mediterranean, North African, and Middle Eastern realms. An even earlier epoch saw parts of Iberia under North African Carthaginian control. 17th c Spanish depictions of dark-skinned warriors were influenced by popular images of Hannibal Barca, the 2nd century BC Carthaginian general who united Hispania and nearly defeated the Roman Empire (see Pouring Vessel in the Shape of an Elephant, c. 1600, by Christoph Jamnitzerca). There is also a tradition of dark-skinned ‘black Madonnas’ in European sacred art; some scholars link this phenomenon to the Song of Solomon: “I am black, and I am beautiful” (verse 1:5).

María Regordosa was born in 1888, the only daughter of a prominent Barcelona textile magnate, and began collecting at a young age. She found a mentor in Oleguer Junyent i Sans (1876-1956), who as a painter, set designer, and collector-dealer, was able to lend his excellent eye and discernment. Hunting through various territories of Spain and abroad, the energetic Regordosa amassed a highly respected collection of jewelry, fans, tapestries, regional costumes, combs, lace, furniture, and instruments. The early 20th c was a time of museum formation, art market expansion, and celebrity collectors. The Regordosa collection, considered one of the richest and most important in Spain, was the subject of frequent press coverage during María’s lifetime, and was featured in a flurry of exhibitions following her death (at least seven between 1920-35). In 1919, María, against the wishes of her family, married the famous bullfighter Ricardo Torres Reina (1879-1936). Tragically, she would die just a year later in 1920, at only age 31, from childbirth complications. During the Spanish Civil War (1936-9), the Regordosa collection—like so many Catalan collections—was confiscated. While it was later returned to María’s heirs, the collection was soon broken up and sold into the private art market. Today, the fate of many Regordosa pieces are unknown or considered lost.
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