Lot Essay
In the first half of the 16th Century the Limoges workshops produced a lavish set of enamel plaques illustrating Virgil's Aeneid. The enamels were based on the woodcuts of an edition of Virgil's Works, printed by Johann Grüninger in Strasbourg in 1502, and edited by Sebastian Brant. In 1967 Philippe Verdier (op. cit.) recorded 74 of these enamels derived from the Strasbourg Aeneid; the present group are four unpublished plaques from the same series.
Of the Strasbourg Virgil, 143 woodcuts illustrate the Aeneid, but at present no enamels have been traced for Books X, XI and XII. The enameller may have copied all of the woodcuts, but may also have selected to show only the most interesting scenes. Judging from the number of plaques which have been identified, it is likely that the enamels were designed to line the walls of a studiolo, much like Catherine de' Medici's cabinet des émaux in her Paris Hôtel. Bonnaffé (op. cit.) describes how 71 enamels by Leonard Limosin encircled the walls of the Queen's studiolo, framed in polychrome and giltwood panelling and surmounted by gold and silk hangings. Catherine's extravagant and luminous miniature room would have resembled the original setting for the Aeneid enamels, and also suggests a patron of similar standing.
The magnificence of the Aeneid scheme of enamels, now ascribed to the Aeneid Master, indicates an artist of equal importance, and Jean I Penicaud has been variously suggested. Certainly, the enameller has translated the monochrome woodcuts into radiant polychromy, and softened the images with the incipient Renaissance style.
Three of the present enamels illustrate the most celebrated events of the Aeneid: the story of the Trojan horse. This is taken from Book II, in which Aeneas recounts the Fall of Troy to Dido, Queen of Carthage. The first presents lines 233 to 253, The Wooden Horse Brought into Troy. King Priam and his daughter Cassandra, the prophetess, are labelled and stand at the front. Despite Cassandra's foreboding, the Trojan horse is wheeled into Troy towards Pallas Athena's temple with great jubilation by a crowd of boys and maidens. Tired Trojans are shown sleeping outside the walls of Troy.
The second plaque illustrates lines 254 to 339 of the same Book, The Trojan Horse Releases its Greek Soldiers. Within the walls of Troy, the large horse is shown with its belly open, the Greeks already outside. The principal warriors are lined up and labelled Ulysses, Menelaus, Pyrrhus and Sthenelaus, on the other side the traitor Sinon guides the leading Greek galley with Agamemnon into port. More Greeks enter through the main gates and Troy is already in flames.
The third plaque shows lines 515 to 554, Pyrrhus Slays Polites and Priam. In the heart of the royal palace, beside the sacred altar and ancient laurel tree, Hecuba and her daughters witness the murder of her son and husband. The frail king has donned his armour in order to join the fray, but is halted by the entry of his son Polites fatally wounded by Pyrrhus close at his heals. Priam weakly attacks Pyrrhus, but is dragged by Pyrrhus through his son's blood to the altar
and killed.
The fourth of the present group of enamels is drawn from Book IX, and shows The Seige of the Trojan Camp in Latium. This episode takes place many months later, after Aeneas and his men's escape and travels. Having landed in Latium, their promised land, the Trojans incite the jealousy of the Latin inhabitants, who, taking advantage of Aeneas's absence, attack his camp. The severed heads of the two Trojan emissaries, Nisus and Euryalus, are brandished on stakes as the Latins advance to scale the Trojan settlement. They are led by Turnus on his white charger, and exhorted by Mezentius waiving a flaming torch. Young Euryalus's mother, distraughtly and rashly rushes to the front of the walls upon seeing her son, but is restrained by the Trojan Idaeus and Actor. Other Trojans rain missiles upon the Latins.
Of the Strasbourg Virgil, 143 woodcuts illustrate the Aeneid, but at present no enamels have been traced for Books X, XI and XII. The enameller may have copied all of the woodcuts, but may also have selected to show only the most interesting scenes. Judging from the number of plaques which have been identified, it is likely that the enamels were designed to line the walls of a studiolo, much like Catherine de' Medici's cabinet des émaux in her Paris Hôtel. Bonnaffé (op. cit.) describes how 71 enamels by Leonard Limosin encircled the walls of the Queen's studiolo, framed in polychrome and giltwood panelling and surmounted by gold and silk hangings. Catherine's extravagant and luminous miniature room would have resembled the original setting for the Aeneid enamels, and also suggests a patron of similar standing.
The magnificence of the Aeneid scheme of enamels, now ascribed to the Aeneid Master, indicates an artist of equal importance, and Jean I Penicaud has been variously suggested. Certainly, the enameller has translated the monochrome woodcuts into radiant polychromy, and softened the images with the incipient Renaissance style.
Three of the present enamels illustrate the most celebrated events of the Aeneid: the story of the Trojan horse. This is taken from Book II, in which Aeneas recounts the Fall of Troy to Dido, Queen of Carthage. The first presents lines 233 to 253, The Wooden Horse Brought into Troy. King Priam and his daughter Cassandra, the prophetess, are labelled and stand at the front. Despite Cassandra's foreboding, the Trojan horse is wheeled into Troy towards Pallas Athena's temple with great jubilation by a crowd of boys and maidens. Tired Trojans are shown sleeping outside the walls of Troy.
The second plaque illustrates lines 254 to 339 of the same Book, The Trojan Horse Releases its Greek Soldiers. Within the walls of Troy, the large horse is shown with its belly open, the Greeks already outside. The principal warriors are lined up and labelled Ulysses, Menelaus, Pyrrhus and Sthenelaus, on the other side the traitor Sinon guides the leading Greek galley with Agamemnon into port. More Greeks enter through the main gates and Troy is already in flames.
The third plaque shows lines 515 to 554, Pyrrhus Slays Polites and Priam. In the heart of the royal palace, beside the sacred altar and ancient laurel tree, Hecuba and her daughters witness the murder of her son and husband. The frail king has donned his armour in order to join the fray, but is halted by the entry of his son Polites fatally wounded by Pyrrhus close at his heals. Priam weakly attacks Pyrrhus, but is dragged by Pyrrhus through his son's blood to the altar
and killed.
The fourth of the present group of enamels is drawn from Book IX, and shows The Seige of the Trojan Camp in Latium. This episode takes place many months later, after Aeneas and his men's escape and travels. Having landed in Latium, their promised land, the Trojans incite the jealousy of the Latin inhabitants, who, taking advantage of Aeneas's absence, attack his camp. The severed heads of the two Trojan emissaries, Nisus and Euryalus, are brandished on stakes as the Latins advance to scale the Trojan settlement. They are led by Turnus on his white charger, and exhorted by Mezentius waiving a flaming torch. Young Euryalus's mother, distraughtly and rashly rushes to the front of the walls upon seeing her son, but is restrained by the Trojan Idaeus and Actor. Other Trojans rain missiles upon the Latins.