Antique 18K Gold Plique à jour enamel Angel Medal Pendant

For sale a beautiful French antique 18K gold medal pendant showcasing a sweet angel at its center. The angel, derived from Raphael's famed painting "The Sistine Madonna" (1513-1514), captivates with serene grace. The original artwork is housed at the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden today.

Surrounding the angel is a mesmerizing display of deep blue and green plique-à-jour enamels which look like the sun rays spread out from the angel. This technique is celebrated for its exceptional transparency, allowing light to gently illuminate the angel’s face and create an aura of divine serenity. A rare and precious find, this pendant is preserved in wonderful antique condition, making him an ideal gift for significant life events such as baptisms or baby showers.

Plique-à-jour (French for "letting in daylight") is an exceptional vitreous enameling technique where the enamel is applied in cells, with no backing in the final product, so light can shine through the transparent or translucent enamel. We see it quite often as a part of the historical church ornament. The technique was revived in the late 19th century movement of revivalist jewellery, and became especially popular during the Art Nouveau era.

The back of the pendant is engraved with a name and a date (27 October 1927). It is stamped with the French eagle’s head hallmark for 18K gold on the bale with a maker’s mark.

The chain on the photos is not included in the listing.

Measurements and Condition

In good antique condition. Slight traces of use on the gold.

French eagle’s head hallmark, a name and a date engraved at the back.

Height including the bale: 30mm

Diameter: 22mm

Weight: 4.3g