Ring
Unknown Artist
last quarter 18th century
Medium
Gold, silver, diamonds, rubies, glass
Dimensions
1 1/8 × 5/8 in. (2.9 × 1.6 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Gold and Platinum|Jewelry
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Susan Dwight Bliss, 1941
Accession Number
41.84.1
Art Historical Context
This exquisite gold ring, crafted in France during the last quarter of 18th century, captures the lavish elegance of the pre-Revolutionary era. Measuring just 1 1/8 × 5/8 inches, it the intricate jewelry worn by the French aristocracy amid the Enlightenment's cultural splendor and the eve of political upheaval. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum Art's European Sculpture andative Arts department, it a generous gift from Susan Dwight in 1941. The ring's materials—gold, silver,, rubies, and—highlight masterful metalworking techniques typical of French goldsmiths. Precious metals formed the struct...