This catalogue presents 35 medieval and Renaissance rings, from a private collection, which represent fine examples of most of the major types of rings created during this period in Western Europe and Byzantium. Most extant publications on rings focus on the archaeological, antiquarian and/or socio-historical context of rings. The contribution of this book, in addition to making known a choice privately held collection of high-quality rings, lies in its art historical observations. For example, did you know that the origin of the medieval stirrup rings coincides with the origin of the Gothic arch, whose form it shares? That the Gothic iconofraphic ring can be compared with the illuminations illustrating the suffrages in medieval Books of Hours? Or that the Merovingian architectural rings, replicating the forms of Early Christian baptisteries, amy have been worn by women converts to Christianity? These, and many other art-historical observations, are found in this unique book. 125 colour illustrations
