King Baudouin Foundation Purchases Rare 17th Century Ring at The European Fine Art Fair for the Museum Presentation in DIVA

Later this year the ring will be added to the permanent exhibition of DIVA, the museum for diamonds, jewellery and silver in Antwerp. The cluster ring is an important addition to DIVA´s 17th century jewellery collection. Until now mainly cluster rings with a round rosette, similar to the ones painted on Dutch portraits, are preserved in diverse collections. Locket rings with a miniature portrait are very rare.

This cluster ring had been purchased at the international art fair TEFAF in Maastricht (NL) and comes from a Belgian Private Collection.

"Thanks to the Christian Bauwens Fund, administrated by the King Baudouin Foundation, this extremely rare and mysterious ring could by acquired to fill a lacuna in the public 17th century jewellery collections." / King Baudouin Foundation


Golden cluster ring with miniature portrait, 17th century, Unknown author, Gold, enamel, diamonds, Ø 4.2 cm, Photo: DIVA. Antwerp Home of Diamonds


Golden cluster ring with miniature portrait, 17th century, Unknown author, Gold, enamel, diamonds, Ø 4.2 cm, Photo: DIVA. Antwerp Home of Diamonds


Golden cluster ring with miniature portrait, 17th century, Unknown author, Gold, enamel, diamonds, Ø 4.2 cm, Photo: DIVA. Antwerp Home of Diamonds


A secret love garden?
The unclear interpretation of the enameled figurine gives the ring a mysterious character. The ring can be interpretated as a memento mori or an engagement ring. On the one side the figurine could refer to the risen Christ appearing to Mary Magdalene as a gardener. But in that case he is most of the times holding or leaning on a shovel. On another side it could refer to fertility or rebirth of the nature after winter. The rope on the shoulders symbolizes his devotion to his love, represented by a rose.


Golden cluster ring with miniature portrait, 17th century, Unknown author, Gold, enamel, diamonds, Ø 4.2 cm, Photo: DIVA. Antwerp Home of Diamonds


Golden cluster ring with miniature portrait, 17th century, Unknown author, Gold, enamel, diamonds, Ø 4.2 cm, Photo: DIVA. Antwerp Home of Diamonds


Cut diamonds and hidden colours
The narrow golden ring, with chiseled and black enamelled decoration on the shoulders, carries an oval case with cover, with a brown table diamond on top, in a high setting with a milled edge. The central diamond is surrounded by ten smaller diamonds of diverse cuts (square and irregular table diamonds, facetted stones and a flat rose) in a closed setting. The bottom of the case is decorated with symmetrically arranged leaves and flower speckles in black, white, and rose enamel on a blue background. The inside of the cover displays an engraved portrait of a young man. Inside the case with a green background, a little figure, a gardener, is depicted with a rope around the shoulders and a rose flower in front of the lower part of his body. The costume of the engraved portrait can be situated in the last decades of the 17th century. The same is applicable on the table facetted stone.


About the& Christian Bauwens Fund - King Baudouin Foundation:
Creation and promotion of a collection of art and antiques entrusted to public collections. At the request of museums, the fund will purchase small-scale objects from all civilisations and periods.

About the author

DIVA is the museum for diamonds, jewellery and silver in Antwerp. A themed exhibition trail will take visitors on a journey through Antwerp’s diamond story, from illustrious past to awe-inspiring present. Some 600 objects from DIVA’s collection are presented in such a way that the public can engage with them in a meaningful way. Exhibition sets, soundscapes, multimedia and interactive displays bring a different story to life in each of the six themed rooms, thereby involving visitors, sustaining their interest, challenging them to unlock the deeper layers and enriching their overall experience.