Madonna and Child Medallion
These madonna and child medallion pieces combine devotional iconography with fine metalwork, offering portable faith and exceptional craftsmanship.
Madonna and Child Medallion
A madonna and child medallion takes the form of small devotional objects designed for personal wear or display, spanning the nineteenth century through the early twentieth century. Most examples found here originate from France, encompassing pendants, charms, brooches, and wall plaques.
Buyers will frequently encounter French religious medal pendants cast in yellow or rose gold, alongside silver brooches and larger carved wooden wall plaques. Each format serves a distinct purpose, from personal protective talismans to interior wall decoration.
How they were made
Carved wood serves as the primary medium for larger nineteenth-century wall plaques, executed with detailed hand chiselling. Artisans combined traditional metalstamping with hand-finished engraving to delineate the figures of the madonna and child.
Madonna and Child Medallion Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for madonna and child medallion among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Materials documented across the pieces include eighteen-carat yellow gold, rose gold, silver, enamel, and carved wood.
What varies in quality
Quality depends upon the precision of the metal stamping and the delicacy of any accompanying enamel work, where translucent panes require immense skill. Pieces featuring named makers or distinct regional French workshops typically display sharper relief in the depiction of the figures.
Mazzoni·Dropsy·Perriat·Arnault
The Madonna and Child Medallion Glossary
- Plique-a-jour
- An enamelling technique where enamel is applied in cells without a backing, resembling miniature stained glass. This method allows light to pass directly through the translucent coloured material.
- Ecclesiastical
- Relating to the Christian Church or its clergy, describing items created for religious devotion or use within church settings. These objects often incorporate specific theological iconography.
- Medal pendant
- A wearable devotional token suspended from a chain or ribbon, usually featuring sacred imagery on one or both sides. They were commonly worn close to the heart.
- Gothic Revival
- An architectural and decorative style drawing inspiration from medieval forms, prevalent during the nineteenth century. It manifests in pointed arches and ornate tracery framing the central figures.
Madonna and Child Medallion: Frequently Asked Questions
How were madonna and child medallions worn?
These items were typically suspended from chains as pendants or pinned to garments as brooches for daily personal devotion.
Smaller versions functioned as charms, while larger formats were sometimes kept as domestic wall plaques.
What materials are used in these medallions?
The pieces utilise eighteen-carat yellow gold, rose gold, and silver alongside carved wood and enamel.
Gold is the dominant metal for French religious medals from this era.
Are these pieces French in origin?
A significant portion of the listed items originates from France, reflecting strong devotional manufacturing traditions.
Other examples include Edwardian pieces from British contexts.
What styles do these items represent?
The inventory encompasses Art Nouveau, Edwardian, Gothic Revival, and general French Devotional aesthetics.
These styles span from the nineteenth century into the nineteen-thirties.