Romantic brooch pendant with painted miniature on ivory and paste stones

This magnificent silver and 18K red gold Romantic pendant from 1830 centres a miniature painting on ivory portraying an intimate scene of a noble maiden -named Agnès Sorel (see "Extra information" further in text)- with a single bare-breasted décolletage while fiddling with a flowery garland. Its red gold frame is surrounded with a gold and silver twisting wire and even more embellished with an elaborate silver openwork floral décor detailed with red gold and encrusted with 444 white paste stones and 13 red paste stones. This antique jewel is in all its glory and exclusiveness capable to address universal subjects of passion in a very contemporary.

Antique jewelry object group: brooches and pendants - Thanks to a discreetly placed ring system in the back, this jewel can also be worn either as a brooch or as a pendant.

Country of origin: Although it does not carry any legible control marks we believe this to be of Belgian origin.

Style: Romanticism
(more info on styles)

Period: ca. 1830
(events and facts in 1830)

Source of inspiration: love and romance

Material: Silver on top and backed with 18K red gold (see explanation on silver on gold).
(more info on precious metals)

Extra information: True, but we only have one charming reason to believe that the woman depicted in this 19th Century brooch/pendant is Agnès Sorel (1422 – 1450). Agnès Sorel was twenty years old when she was first introduced to King Charles. At that time, she was holding a position in the household of Rene I of Naples, Charles' brother-in-law. As reflected in art of the day, she was an extraordinarily beautiful young woman, and was also extremely intelligent. The French king was immediately smitten by her charms and took her as his mistress; he even gave her the Château de Loches (where he had been persuaded by Joan of Arc to be crowned King of France) as her private residence. She entered the French court in 1444 and introduced the single bare-breasted decolletage becoming a real trendsetter for many noble ladies following her example.

For reasons we do not know of, several dishes are named after her (a real attacker is the Agnès Sorel Cream Soup). She really got noticed; not a bad achievement for a woman who lived so long ago for such a short period of time.

Diamonds: 132 rose cut paste stones as imitation for rose cut diamonds.

Precious stones: 13 red paste (also called strass) as ruby imiation and 312 white paste (also called strass) as diamond imitation.
(more info on precious stones)

Birthstones: Diamond is the birthstone (or month stone) for April and ruby for July.
(more info on birthstones)

Hallmarks: No trace.
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Condition: excellent condition
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Dimensions: height approximately 7.00 cm (2.76 inch)

Weight: 25.70 gram (16.53 dwt)



Reference Nº: 09306-4335

See also our:
victorian jewelry, victorian brooches, victorian combined brooches and pendants, victorian pendants, combined brooches and pendants, jewelry with rose cut diamonds, jewelry with diamond, jewelry with ruby, jewelry with strass/paste, latest acquisitions,
antique jewelry, estate jewelry, vintage jewelry or modern jewelry

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