Renaissance-Period Limoges Enamel Plaque
$53,100.00
Enamelwork, one of Limoges' oldest crafts, enjoyed immense popularity in the 16th century. Though extremely costly to manufacture and expensive to acquire, plaques such as this were highly sought after by the highest social echelons. Not only did these pièces d’émail de Limoges serve as a mark of their personal prestige, but it also confirmed their cultural refinement and modern taste. Though enamels fell out of favor following the Renaissance era, they again achieved considerable popularity at the end of the 19th century, a reputation which lasted through the Art Deco movement.
Some of the most important collectors of the age, including the Rothschild family, Baron Frédéric Spitzer, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza family, sought out Renaissance-period Limoges enamels for their collection; today, most of the pieces from these collections found their way into the possession of leading European museums. The fervor even spread to the United States, were Henry Clay Frick acquired an impressive collection that today comprises the renowned Enamel Room in The Frick Collection (New York). The present plaque is comparable in quality, age, and subject to these important publicly held works.
Mid-16th Century
12 3/8" high x 8 7/8" wide
Provenance:
Parke-Bernet Galleries, March 19, 1971, Lot 167
Private Collection, United States
MSR Antiques, New Orleans