Empress Eugenie’s Bow Brooch

The acquisition by the Musée du Louvre of the Empress Eugenie's bow brooch was a symbolic and prestigious event.
 
It was a symbolic purchase as it is a perfect example of French jewellers' expertise during the second half of the nineteenth century: they knew how to achieve flexibility and movement in the material. It was a symbolic gesture for the great French museum as they had to spend 6.72 million euros in order to buy this exceptional jewel. A large part of this sum was paid for by the legacy of 5 million euros that Mr. and Mrs. Rouffet gave to the Amis du Louvre.
 
This masterpiece was put on the art market by the State under the Third Republic and was kept in a private collection until this sale by Christie's; a happy ending for the enrichment of the national collections.