Art Nouveau Nudes Transfiguration Signet Ring

A weighty, Art Nouveau era signet ring, whose shoulders are decorated with two finely-detailed female figures. The woman posted on the ring's left shoulder is carefree, depicted with her arms above her head in an ecstatic gesture; the woman on the right shoulder is demure and serene, depicted with angel's wings— she covers one breast with an arm, and her eyes are downcast. These postures insinuate a transfiguration or evolution from one state of being to another, or perhaps they represent two sides of one personality. The ring's oval face is beautifully and ornately engraved with the monogram MEG— the large letters lay atop one another and cover the entire ring face. The ring's figural decor covers the shank, from shoulder to base, and it also wraps the gallery. Figural rings from this era are a rarity, especially those depicting nudes— this one is overflowing with outstanding textures, forms and contrasts! This is a special piece that is well-suited to all genders.

Our extra-large macro-photos reveal the layering of gold colors used in this ring's original manufacture— in hand its color is the true rich yellow gold you see in the angel's wings (the rose gold peeking through, here and there, isn't aparent revealed to the unaided eye).

Materials

18k gold

Age

1900

Size

US 8 1/2

Dimensions

Ring face measures approx 16.7 x 12.1 mm; shank measures approx 13.2 mm at the shoulder and tapers to approx 3.8 mm at the base; rise is approx 2.4 mm.