18th Century Shepherd Portrait Ring

This rare antique late 18th century gold ring was made in France and features a painted enamel miniature of a shepherd boy holding a crook. This pastoral scene probably depicts David the Shepherd Boy, who gains fame and becomes a hero by killing Goliath, and was later chosen by God to become King of Israel.

The technique of miniature painting in enamel has been popular in France since the 16th century where the city of Limoges became the centre of this technique. The process involved covering a gold or copper plate with a white base, before firing pigmented glass solutions with metal oxides in a kiln, each different colour requiring a separate firing due to different temperature requirements. Each separate firing presented great risk of the enamel cracking or bubbling, so great precision was required for a successful outcome. 

UK size Q, US size 8 

The ring weighs a total of 3.65 grams and is unmarked but tests as 14K gold. The oval miniature measures 20mm x 15mm.