King's crown of Louis XV from France
The royal crown of Louis XV. During the French Revolution, France was not melted down or sold like other crowns, but merely stripped of their diamonds , precious stones and pearls . These were later replaced by Simili .
description
The gold-plated silver ring had rows of pearls on the top and bottom. On the ring sat 32 smaller and larger diamonds and colored gemstones that were square, heart-shaped or teardrop-shaped. The gold frames were decorated in baroque style. The circlet has eight golden lilies on top and eight smaller semicircular flowers in between. The flowers were set with three larger colored gemstones and three smaller diamonds. The lilies had an elliptical diamond at the base above the hoop, above which a small teardrop-shaped diamond stood. The three flowers of the lilies each had large diamonds, the two on the side had diamond roses and the upper leaf had a square table stone. The approach of the lily on the front carried the regent when it was used . The eight brackets each carried seven large gold-set stones, which were either surrounded by smaller diamonds or by baroque gold filigree. The brackets swing in a semicircle and meet at the apex, where they form a cylindrical attachment. There are more precious stones between the ends of the crown stirrups. The rim of the flat cylinder is adorned with three rows of small diamonds. Above it rises a tuft of lilies, the leaves of which are made up of nine large diamonds. The stone at the top is the Sancy . The half-height crown hood was made of red damask and covered with precious stones. The diameter of the crown is 19 cm and the height 24 cm.
history
The goldsmith Augustin Duflos made the crown according to designs by the court jeweler Laurent Rondé and his son Claude in 1722. The crown was in the same year by Louis XV. worn to the coronation. The carcass with imitation gemstones is today in the Apollo gallery of the Louvre , Paris. The crown was also used by Louis XVI. and of Louis XVIII. worn for coronation - which should be emphasized, since every French king had his own crown (sometimes several) made. It is the only royal crown that survived the French Revolution.
literature
- Heinz Biehn : The crowns of Europe and their fate . Limes Verlag, Wiesbaden 1957.
