Chain

Antique Louis Armand Rault Station Chain French Goddesses Athena Diana Medals

Louis Armand Rault was one of the finest medallists of the fin-de-siècle period in France. While his deft hand often crafted portraits of French kings and emperors, when it came to depicting women, Rault elevated the female form to those of classical deities. This station chain resembles a rosary with “stations of the cross,” but substitutes Greco-Roman goddesses for the stations. In a rare example for a Rault station chain, each of the five stations features two goddesses, one on each side: Athena (wisdom and war) and Diana (chastity and animals). The goddesses convey virtues onto their wearer and also remind us that every woman has multiple faces. The chain measures 52.5 inches (133 cm) in length.