Origin of Moretto di Fiume, Dalmatia

Article extracted from the long and complex study by Marco Grilli, which we are happy to host in the blog as a source of knowledge.

The Moretto originated in Fiume as a gold and silver earring as an amulet, which soon became a symbol and a strong testimony of the identity of Fiume. The Turkish threat and the feared pirate attacks could be the origin of the widespread diffusion of the Moorish head motif in Dalmatia, in the Adriatic cities, on the islands and in southern Italy, not only in the form of a ring, but also as a noble coat of arms. Wearing the Moretto was perhaps a way to exorcise fear; the coastal populations also took care to donate them to the churches in times of overthrow of the danger. The Turkish threat was a relevant issue for the northern Adriatic especially in the 15th century and finally ceased only in 1699, after the victory of the Holy Alliance (Peace of Carlowitz).

The legend of the Moretti's Fiume origins dates back to the Tartar invasion of 1242. It was reported by Riccardo Gigante (son of the goldsmith Agostino, an Italian irredentist), who wrote that in 1242 the Tartars, who had invaded Hungary, went down to the sea in search of the fugitive king Béla IV and stopped a few kilometers from Fiume, on the Grobnico field, which at the time was entirely covered by the waters of a lake, threatening the city with massacre. The rivers, powerless to stop the advance of the marauders, raised their prayers to heaven to implore its help. The sky was not deaf to their cry of anguish, it hit them with a terrible hail of stones, which killed them and buried them all up to their necks, leaving only their heads exposed and almost completely filling the lake. Legend has it that to commemorate this incredible event, the field was renamed the "Field of Stones" and the people of Rijeka created golden earrings in the shape of axes for their women.

Beyond the legends, men and women of Rijeka began to wear dark earrings to protect themselves and ward off evil forces; it is said that they were especially popular among fishermen and sailors because they could be sold in case of need or shipwreck to return home. In ancient times it was customary to give the earring with the blackamoor as a gift to male children; this piece of costume jewelry was a symbol of great class. Blackamoors were also donated to churches as votive offerings.

From the consultation of documents from 1700, it can be deduced that these black moretti were forged by goldsmiths from Fiume with simple and practical gold and silver earrings, partially covered with black enamel on the head and chest. Another characteristic sign was the white turban with wings and dots. In the nineteenth century, a new model, the Turkish, was spread, characterized by curved gold stripes and black and gold dots on the white turban. In the second half of the century, these jewels were more elaborate and decorated and took on different forms (rings, bracelets, pendants, pins, decorative cutlery, etc.). If women in mourning preferred the simple shapes of black moretti, without ornaments and decorations, all the others were made as pins and earrings adorned with corals and other stones, changing the number and size of the heads as they liked.

Fiume, with its famous Morettisti and their art, thus became the most important centre for the processing of this jewel, and the adjective “Fiumani” was added to the “Mori”, as they were called, as an expression of autochthony.

The history of the Moretto di Fiume must necessarily pay homage to those who made it so important and made it known throughout the world, especially between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century: the goldsmiths of Fiume. Giovanni Corossacz, a goldsmith active since 1835, was the first to apply the moretto on brooches, bracelets, jugs and necklaces. A key moment for the development of the production of moretto in Fiume and their spread throughout the world was certainly the high commission received from Empress Maria Anna, daughter of Vittorio Emanuele I of Savoy. Corossacz created a beautiful specimen, according to the dictates and wishes of the Empress, which was extraordinarily successful; after which he began to create new models following his creative flair. The Moretti enjoyed incredible diffusion in Istria, on the islands of Kvarner and in the rest of the Adriatic, in Gorski Kotar and Vinodol up to the territory of Kastav and Grobnik. The goldsmith Agostino Gigante contributed significantly to their success; his shop in Piazza del Duomo was immediately appreciated for its innovation, expertise and originality. The company "Gigante and Co" won numerous awards: Industrial Exhibition of Budapest (1885); Universal Exhibition of Brussels (1888); Millennium Exhibition of Budapest (1896); International Exhibition of Brussels (1897); First Industrial Exhibition in Fiume (1899); Universal Exhibition of Paris (1900); Colonial and Indian Exhibition of London (1905). Having become a supplier to the Imperial Court, Gigante placed the Archduke's coat of arms on the business cards and signs of his goldsmith's shop. The precious enamels also came from Vienna, which made it possible to transform a goldsmith's object into a real jewel. The Gigantes were a serious company, well aware of the refinement of their work, done by hand, without resorting to machines. After Agostino's death, in 1925 "Gigante e Co" closed its business and the Giraldis purchased the equipment for making moretti and a precious catalogue from 1880, to continue the art of moretti by drawing inspiration from the original shapes and techniques. Even today in Fiume the Morettisti show great respect and devotion for this catalogue, a precious volume containing drawings of extremely finely crafted jewellery, in which the set of moretti placed side by side, aligned or intertwined, allows the creation of geometric games and precious lace. Precious ideas from which necklaces, tiaras, cutlery, earrings, pendants, etc. are born. The Giraldis had a shop in Piazza delle Erbe since 1911; After his father's death in 1929, Rodolfo (born 1913) took up the goldsmith's art again and ran the business until 1948, when he moved into exile in Desenzano del Garda (Verona) for political reasons, given the hostility of Tito's regime towards him (many jewels and much of his equipment had been seized in Fiume). In Desenzano, according to Giraldi himself, the moretto was somewhat neglected because it was a niche jewel, difficult to offer to a wider audience. In 1956, however, Rodolfo emigrated to the United States and resumed the production of moretti, for a matter of tradition and personal love, in the New York jewelry store where he was employed, making dark heads for the people of Fiume in America. Giraldi, the Moretti goldsmith par excellence and a true symbol for the people of Fiume, has always continued to participate in numerous gatherings of the citizens of Fiume throughout the world.

THE WORKING TECHNIQUES
Testimony of the goldsmith Raul Rolandi, given to Radmila Matejcic: “The shape for the skeleton of the Moretto, its head and torso, is positively impressed in the cuttlefish bone cut lengthwise. From this positive, a negative is then obtained into which molten gold is poured. When the gold becomes solid, a gold positive is obtained. The surface of the positive is smoothed with files and small knives so that enamel can be applied, reduced to a fine powder in a mortar. This powder is poured into nitric acid where it remains for two hours, rinsed and then dried. On a small piece of glass, the enamel is mixed with a little water. This paste is applied with a needle to the gold skeleton, previously cleaned of the residues of chloric acid accumulated during the process of faceting and applying the ornaments. When enamel is put on the skeleton, the head is shaped. In particular, the arches for the earlobe are impressed, then the plastic of the nose and chin are highlighted. Three gold dots are visible and represent the eyes and lips. The model is then placed in a small oven in the shape of a cylinder cut lengthwise. The oven is then placed in the so-called "windoffen", covered with charcoal and left until it becomes incandescent. Then it is removed, left to cool for 10 minutes and the support is extracted with the moretti. This process is the first enameling. The second coat is more precise, the shape of the head is perfected, the channels are cleaned and any holes in the enamel are filled. Then the nose is modeled and the black dots are placed on the white turban. The model goes back into the oven; when the gold is extracted it is black, so the moretto is placed in a mild solution of hydrochloric acid until it becomes white. After being rinsed, the Moretto is cleaned with nail files and polished with sandpaper or a brush. Further work depends on the model and type of jewel; the skeleton of the blackamoor can be in bronze, silver or gold and precious and semi-precious stones, corals, pearls, etc. can be added.” Testimony of Rodolfo Giraldi: "The procedure is as follows: you take the shape, I still use those of the Giant, and you prepare the mold in the cuttlefish bone, you work the blackamoor melted in gold and then you apply the enamel, which must be spread and then cooked in the oven, for one, two, three or four “forates”. Once the ovens worked with coal, now they are used electric ones and the result changes slightly. We then move on to cleaning and sanding. When it is ready, it is embellished with coral, rubies or other stones. But, at this point, it is not finished yet, it is the details that make the difference. There are blackamoors with and without earrings, with precious and simple stones, in short, it depends on the request of the buyer and the imagination of the creator.” The greatest challenge for today's Moretti production is represented by the defense of traditional processing techniques.