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a yellow gold ladder supporting the figure of a Harlequin holding a gold slapstick decorated with hand painted enamel, the face disguised by a characteristic black mask.
Carlo Giuliano
London, c1880
In the Commedia dell’arte, Harlequin is characterized by his distinctive chequered costume. His role is that of a light-hearted and nimble servant. He pursues his love interest, Colombina, with wit and resourcefulness.
The ladder is an emblem of the aspirations of love, each step representing a
different stage in the course of falling in love.
See pg 76 of ‘The Triumph of Love’ by Geoffrey Munn (Thames and Hudson, 1993) for another Giuliano jewel based around a golden ladder.
