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West Indian Scene

Agostino Bruniasca 1795

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
New York, United States

Circular form with painted scene depicting light skinned woman on left in white, low cut bodice with mid-length, ruffled sleeves, loose white overskirt, longer light blue underskirt, barefeet, white scarf on head, and long, tied black ribbon around her neck. She lifts skirts slightly while gazing at black man to her right; he wears short orange and brown skirt, possibly feathered, with brown strap draped diagonally across his bare chest and tall, orange feathered headdress. His left hand is on his hip while he points downward with his right hand as he gestures to the lighter skinned woman. Behind him to the right are two black women: one wears long orange, white, and black vertically striped skirt, scarf with black and orange stripes, draped head scarf with orange stripes, and gold beaded choker around neck; second woman at extreme right with her back turned to viewer wears long gold, white, and black vertically striped skirt, orange and white scarf draped over shoulders, white blouse with 3/4 length sleeves, tall orange and white turban on her head, and white pendant earrings; both women gaze at the other two figures. Landscape of palms and other plant life in background, as well as indigenous architecture at rear left. Sky painted in pale blue and orange tones. Painting protected by domed glass and framed in gilded metal. Plain metal loop attached to center of reverse side.

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  • Title: West Indian Scene
  • Creator: Agostino Brunias
  • Creator Lifespan: 1730
  • Date Created: ca 1795
  • Physical Dimensions: w37 x h37 x d10 cm
  • Type: Button
  • Rights: Gift of R. Keith Kane from the Estate of Mrs. Robert B. Noyes
  • Medium: Gouache paint on canvas? on tin verre fixeé, ivory (backing), glass, gilded metal
  • Provenance: The possible provenance of the buttons may be sketched out as follows: given by Toussaint L'Ouverture upon his return to France from /Haiti and Santo Domingo to servant boy, c.1802; eventually acquired by boy's heirs in the Sedan; acquired from heirs by Professor Lalongt, College of Sedan and sold to Etienne Accary; sold on behalf of Accary by Salle Drouot auction house, Paris, 1939 to Mrs. Noyes; buttons arrive, possibly as a loan, at Cooper Union Museum around 1942; gift to Museum from the estate of Mrs. Noyes in 1949.
  • Markings: None
  • Exhibitions: Washington, DC, National Collection of Fine Arts, Smithsonian Institution, "Treasures from the Cooper Union Museum," 7/13/67-9/23/67 New York, NY, Cooper-Hewitt Museum, "More than Meets the Eye," 11/15/77-3/15/78New York, NY, Cooper-Hewitt, "Design for Life: A Centennial Celebration," 9/30/97-1/4/98
  • Dimensions: H x W x D: 3.7 x 3.7 x 1cm (1 7/16 x 1 7/16 x 3/8in.)
  • Bibliography: Millia Davenport, "The Book of Costume," vol. II, N.Y., Crown Publ., c1948, opp. p. 702
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

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