Antique French Raphael's Angel Charm - 18k

Wonderful antique circa 1920s French angel charm, in a wonderfully hued 18k yellow gold. The angel is famously depicted in Raphael's oil painting, the Sistine Madonna.  

Raphael originally added the two winged cherubs at the very end of his painting process to act as a bridge between the viewer and the divine scene above, specifically to fill a compositional gap at the bottom. Legend has it that the angels were inspired by the two children of his model and lover Margherita Luti ("The Baker's Daughter"), who would come to watch Raphael paint. Other stories suggest they were based on children he saw looking into a baker’s shop.

During 19th century, the angels were detached from the main painting and marketed as independent, charming, and pensive figures. German Romantics became obsessed with the purity of childhood and the cherubs became the "gold standard" for depicting innocent, soulful children. This lead to their use on everything from scrapbooks to embroidery.  

This charm measures 15.9mm in diameter, weighs 2.2g and bears the French eagle hallmark. The reverse is smooth and ready for your personalized engraving.

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