This gold-plated brass jewel is inspired by a ring seen in the painting Gabrielle d'Estrées and one of her sisters.
Gabrielle d'Estrées and one of her sisters
Anonymous, École de Fontainebleau, 4th quarter of the 16th century
Musée du Louvre, Paris
The second half of the 15th century saw the subject of nude female beauty gain great popularity in France; in the 16th century, Ladies Bathing and Ladies Washing would become the subject of choice for French artists, and a major theme at the School of Fontainebleau.
The author of this work and the circumstances surrounding its commission are not known. The painting is strikingly bold: it shows two young women in a bath, one of whom - Julienne d'Estrées, Duchesse de Villars - is pinching the nipple of the other - her sister Gabrielle d'Estrées. The red curtains and the bathtub draped with a white sheet emphasise the fair bodies of the two protagonists.
The women's gestures have given rise to several interpretations - for instance, the pinching of Gabrielle's nipple is said to be a reference to breast milk, and to the recent birth of her child, while the ring in Gabrielle's hand is presumably an engagement gift alluding to the promise of marriage given by her royal lover, Henri IV.
Keep the jewellery away from dust and moisture. Avoid contact with perfume, chemicals and cosmetics; avoid getting the jewellery wet.
