Diana in Profile: A French Gold Brooch by Émile Vernier, circa 1890

Created in France around 1890, this late Victorian or early Art Nouveau brooch presents Diana in finely modelled profile, the crescent moon in her hair and a quiver at her shoulder. As goddess of the hunt, the moon and untamed nature, she embodied independence, strength and feminine self-possession. Subtle diamond accents enliven her jewellery and headdress, catching the light without disturbing the sculptural calm of the design. Signed by Émile Vernier, it belongs to the refined French tradition of the médaille bijou, where mythology, portraiture and jewellery meet.