Zoom
Limoges/France, around 1570/80
polychrome enameled copper
2 1/2 x 3 1/8 in. (including frame: 3 1/2 x 4 1/8 in.)
provenance: collection Nikolaus Harnoncourt, before: J.P. Morgan Collection, New York
Limoges enamel or Œuvre de Limoges is the name given to enamel work that has been produced in Limoges in the south of France since the 12th century. During the Renaissance, the city developed into a global center for painted enamels. In this technique, different colored layers of enamel are applied to a copper plate. Each color required a special firing at different temperatures. The sophisticated color and light effects of these fine pieces testify to the technical excellence of Limoges‘ enamellers.
In the 16th century, the course of the year – in particular the “Travaux des Mois” (The Work of the Months) – was one of the most popular themes depicted on Limoges enamels. The present masterful ten depictions of the months of the year are attributed to the renowned enameller Pierre Reymond (1513-1584) and his workshop. Comparable works by this master can be found in the Louvre, the Musée des Beaux Arts, Paris and the Museo Lazaro Galdiano, Madrid. An enamel plaque of the month of May monogrammed by Pierre Reymond, which is particularly close to the works illustrated here, is kept in the Taft Museum Cincinnati.
The oval plaques show the various activities of the year in astonishing detail. In the upper half of the picture, the zodiac sign assigned to the respective month can be seen in a wreath of clouds. Reymond based these depictions of the course of the year on the 1568 series of copperplate engravings by the famous French medallist Étienne Delaune. The intricate details and artistic execution of the enamel images indicate that the master’s hand was instrumental in their creation.