Period: 1790’s

Dimensions: 33 x 18 mm

Ring size: 6 ½ 

Weight: 8 gr

The Georgian mourning ring dates back to the 1790s and consists of an oval frame containing a grisaille miniature depicting a pleasant place: a column with a festoon can be seen, surmounted by a heart; above it flies a butterfly, a symbol of carnal and passionate love, of transience due to the brevity of the animal's life, but also a symbol of the soul with a transcendent purpose due to its ability to change; on the right, however, is a dove, which in ancient literature has become the symbol of the beloved and pure woman, who in this case carries a scroll with the inscription "il ne s'appartient pas" that ends near a dog, a symbol of fidelity. The French miniature, which is completed by a fluted edge located under the protective glass, turns out to be a declaration of love from the supposedly beloved woman, who probably passed away early but was celebrated with this last act of love.