9. Lucien Falize, enamel by Claudius Popelin, “Necklace,” about 1880–1890

Bijoux Parisiens

This Renaissance-revival necklace features an enamel portrait of Diane de Poitiers (1499–1566), the mistress of Henri II and an art patron in Renaissance France. Both the gold frame of this enamel portrait and the style of the chains allude to Renaissance models. Further, like Renaissance pendants, which often featured initial letters and monograms, this work intertwines enameled Hs and Ds in several places to indicate the lovers’ close connection.