Caption

Plaque with a Christmas scene, enamel on metal, late 16th century, Jean Limousin fl. 1561–1610, Adoration of the Child: slightly convex plate with a sapphire background showing the Christ child on a swaddle with a bundle of hay and a golden radiant halo; kneeling left, the Virgin Mary with a golden halo; in the background an angel in a white robe with richly decorated wings and St. Joseph holding a staff; to the right two shepherds. Antique-style architecture and rural buildings in the background, with heads of a bull and a donkey at the manger; sapphire sky with emerging golden star rays. At the bottom, against a green ground, gilded tufts of plants and the gilded inscription NATIVITAS IESU CHRISTI; gold enameller's signature at bottom right. Thin gold frame. Limoges, France. Plaque, height 10.5 cm, width 8 cm., A painted scene on a rectangular panel showing a group of people clustered around an infant lying on a cloth and straw; a woman in a dark blue and deep maroon robe with a white headscarf kneels nearby, an older man with white hair and a long beard stands behind wearing dark brown and green robes, and a few men in brown and green garments kneel or crouch in reverent poses. An angelic figure in a white robe with colorful wings kneels beside the infant, and a brown ox with white horns is visible near the left background. The setting includes architectural elements in deep blue and dark tones, a night sky in rich blue with golden radiating starbursts, and a foreground of deep green grass. The palette features blue, brown, green, white, gold, maroon, and touches of flesh tones.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26A09_226

License type

Rights managed

Available size

32.9Mb (2.2Mb) / 9.8in x 13.1in / 2926 x 3933 (300dpi)

Keywords

Plaque Christmas scene enamel metal late 16th century Jean Limousin fl 1561–1610 Adoration Child slightly convex plate sapphire background showing Christ child swaddle bundle hay golden radiant halo kneeling left Virgin Mary golden halo background angel white robe richly decorated wings St Joseph holding staff right two shepherds Antique-style architecture rural buildings heads bull donkey manger sapphire sky emerging golden star rays bottom green ground gilded tufts plants gilded inscription NATIVITAS IESU CHRISTI gold enameller's signature bottom right Thin gold frame Limoges France height 10.5 cm width 8 cm painted scene rectangular panel showing group people clustered infant lying cloth straw woman dark blue deep maroon robe white headscarf kneels nearby older man white hair long beard stands wearing dark brown green robes men green garments kneel crouch reverent poses angelic figure colorful wings kneels beside infant brown ox white horns visible near left background setting includes architectural elements deep blue dark tones night sky rich blue golden radiating starbursts foreground deep green grass palette features blue green white maroon touches flesh tones.