Carnelian Intaglio Ring Depicting King Henri IV of France
French, 19th century (gem); mount 19th century with later shank
Measurements
Bezel: 2.2 × 1.9 cm
Ring size: P (UK) / 7.75 (US) / 56.5 (EU)
Weight: 5.25 grams
Material: Carnelian, high carat gold
This finely engraved carnelian intaglio portrays a left-facing bust of Henri IV (1553–1610), King of France, in armour, with a decorated gorget and distinctive curled beard. The engraving is directly after a medallic portrait by Guillaume Dupré, Henri IV’s official medallist, which was widely circulated during the king’s reign and thereafter. The king’s profile is clearly drawn from a familiar medallic type, often used in the 17th and 18th centuries as a symbol of royal authority and dynastic legitimacy.
The intaglio is set in a high carat gold bezel of 19th-century craftsmanship, later fitted with a modern plain shank. The warm orange-red tone of the carnelian enhances the expressive portrait, emphasizing the finely executed details of the king’s face and armour. Such portrait intaglios were highly valued both as collector’s items and as personal seals, invoking the enduring image of the Bourbon monarchy.
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