Towards an Art History of Medieval Rings

There is a long tradition of collecting rings dating back to the 17th century when their significance was first appreciated in Europe although their use and manufacture dates back to antiquity. Well-known collections were made by enthusiasts as diverse as the French aristocrat Baron Jérôme Davillier (1815-1890), whose collection included the ring of the Black Prince found in the ruins of the Castle of Montpensier in 1866, and C. D. Fortnum (1820-1899) whose income came from the famous grocery store in Piccadilly. Rings can take us back through time, illuminating vanished worlds and bringing their former owners back to life. Some rings are intensely personal, particularly wedding and mourning rings, while others denote the status of their owners: monarchs, nobles, those high in the hierarchy of the church and rich merchants, amongst others.