Ring
ca. 1500 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Diamonds and rubies were the natural choice for a love ring - the hard, unbreakable diamond symbolised eternity whilst the ruby was associated with passion. Seen side by side, these two stones sent a message of eternal love. The shoulders of the ring are decorated with three dimensional scrolls emphasizing the sculptural talents of the goldsmith. Renaissance rings were miniature works of art in which the colour and glitter of the gemstone was balanced by the artistry of the goldwork.
This ring is part of a large group of jewels given by the art historian and collector Dame Joan Evans (1893-1977). Dame Joan came from a family of distinguished archaeologists and scholars. Her interest in art and jewellery was formed at the knee of her father Sir John Evans and she wrote her first book 'A History of Jewellery' at the age of 17. She was one of the first women to take a full degree at Oxford which she followed with a distinguished career as an author and academic researcher. In 1933 she became a Fellow of the Society of Antiquities and later a director. She had a long association with the V&A, making numerous lifetime gifts of jewellery and bequeathing her collection at her death in 1977.
This ring is part of a large group of jewels given by the art historian and collector Dame Joan Evans (1893-1977). Dame Joan came from a family of distinguished archaeologists and scholars. Her interest in art and jewellery was formed at the knee of her father Sir John Evans and she wrote her first book 'A History of Jewellery' at the age of 17. She was one of the first women to take a full degree at Oxford which she followed with a distinguished career as an author and academic researcher. In 1933 she became a Fellow of the Society of Antiquities and later a director. She had a long association with the V&A, making numerous lifetime gifts of jewellery and bequeathing her collection at her death in 1977.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Gold with traces of enamel on the shoulders, with a triangular-cut diamond and a ruby |
Brief description | Gold love or marriage ring with traces of enamel on the shoulders, the bezel formed of two oval collets each with a 4-cusp setting, with a triangular-cut diamond and a ruby. The fluted shoulders decorated with volutes and foliage, Germany, about 1500. |
Physical description | Gold ring with traces of enamel on the shoulders, the bezel formed of two oval collets each with a 4-cusp setting, with a triangular-cut diamond and a ruby. The fluted shoulders decorated with volutes and foliage. |
Dimensions |
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Credit line | Given by Dame Joan Evans |
Object history | Ex Guilhou Collection, acquired by Dame Joan Evans, PPSA. A very similar ring was found in 2013 by a metal detectorist near Launde Abbey (East Norton, Leicestershire) and sold at Sotheby's in July 2015. Another comparable ring inscribed 'bon' with a heart and 'ne meur' was found in a field near Green Hammerton, North Yorkshire, recorded as treasure number 2015T271 and on the Portable Antiquities scheme as SWYOR-61ADFC (subsequently acquired by Wartski). |
Subjects depicted | |
Association | |
Summary | Diamonds and rubies were the natural choice for a love ring - the hard, unbreakable diamond symbolised eternity whilst the ruby was associated with passion. Seen side by side, these two stones sent a message of eternal love. The shoulders of the ring are decorated with three dimensional scrolls emphasizing the sculptural talents of the goldsmith. Renaissance rings were miniature works of art in which the colour and glitter of the gemstone was balanced by the artistry of the goldwork. This ring is part of a large group of jewels given by the art historian and collector Dame Joan Evans (1893-1977). Dame Joan came from a family of distinguished archaeologists and scholars. Her interest in art and jewellery was formed at the knee of her father Sir John Evans and she wrote her first book 'A History of Jewellery' at the age of 17. She was one of the first women to take a full degree at Oxford which she followed with a distinguished career as an author and academic researcher. In 1933 she became a Fellow of the Society of Antiquities and later a director. She had a long association with the V&A, making numerous lifetime gifts of jewellery and bequeathing her collection at her death in 1977. |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | M.1-1959 |
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Record created | November 22, 2005 |
Record URL |
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