Cabinet of Curiosities – Mosqueiro

The mosqueiro is a decorative-functional ornament used in Azorean domestic spaces in the first half of the 20th century. The wire structure covered in coloured silk paper was suspend from the ceiling which, as well as decorating the house, also had the function of attracting flies and preventing them from flying around inside. It was made from low-cost materials, and, often due to the expertise of female artisans, it was an ephemeral object, which was produced and installed during festive seasons, especially during Carnival