Afro Basaldella (Italian, 1912–1976), designer, Mario Masenza (Italian, 1913–1985), maker, Necklace with Three Pendants, late 1940s–early 1950s, gold, sapphires, rubies, diamonds

Audio Description

Designed in the late 1940s or early 1950s by the Italian jeweler Afro Basaldella, who lived from 1912-1976, this necklace was made in Mario Masenza’s workshop. Masenza was an Italian, who lived from 1913-1985.

This is a yellow gold hoop necklace with three pendants attached. All the pendants have a matte yellow gold finish. The two matching pendants on either side of the hoop represent mermaid-like creatures with their bodies ending in a squiggly, fish-like tail. They each hold a horn-like shape up to their head with their single arm. Their heads are decorated with seven cabochon sapphires; their eyes are small diamonds, and across their bust are three cabochon rubies. The center pendant is an insect-like creature with four appendages that attach to the hoop on either side of a head-like form that is textured with small bumps and is embellished with small diamonds. The body of the creature is decorated with five cabochon rubies. From the body two leg-like appendages extend forming right angles with a fish-like tail in the center.

Label Copy

Designed in the late 1940s or early 1950s by the Italian jeweler Afro Basaldella, who lived from 1912-1976, this necklace was made in Mario Masenza’s workshop. Masenza was an Italian, who lived from 1913-1985.

Afro Basaldella, known simply as Afro, was a painter whose work was first exhibited in Italy in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Afro, along with his brother Mirko, a sculptor, were among those who accepted Mario Masenza’s call to artists in the 1940s to design jewelry. The pieces they conceptualized were made to their specifications in Masenza’s workshop. By the time this necklace was created, Afro’s paintings were largely cubist, bordering on abstract, acknowledging the influence of Swiss painter Paul Klee and Armenian American artist Arshile Gorky. This artistic direction seems to be reflected in the three non-conventional creatures that embellish this piece.

In each of the figures that form the pendants on this simple hoop, Afro incorporated cabochon stones—a gem that is polished and rounded but not faceted—set into matte gold. In doing so, he foreshadowed the extensive use of semi-precious cabochon stones, the unpolished finish for gold, and the employment of small, understated diamonds—considered a precious gem—by his successors.

Back to The Italians     Back to the Audio Exhibition