About the artwork
In 1861, Napoleon III acquired the famous Campana Collection of classical jewelry for France. It became a huge inspiration for the Parisian goldsmith Eugène Fontenay (1824 - 1887). He created this medallion in a similar style, applying very delicate filigrain and granule techniques. The matte ‘genre antique’ emailles were painted by the professional artist Eugene Richet.
About the Artist
Eugene Fontenay was a French jeweller who was born in 1823, he died in 1887. He was one of the most important jewellers in France in the third quarter of the nineteenth century. His jewellery was considered among the most technically refined produced at that time. Much of Fontenay’s work was influenced by the ancient jewellery of the Campana collection, acquired by the French state in 1861.
