AN OVAL ENAMEL PLATTER DEPICTING MOSES AND THE BRAZEN SERPENT

ATTRIBUTED TO JEAN DE COURT, CIRCA 1555-1585

细节

AN OVAL ENAMEL PLATTER DEPICTING MOSES AND THE BRAZEN SERPENT
Attributed to Jean de Court, circa 1555-1585
Painted en grisaille, flesh tones and gilding, the border and the reverse painted with numerous fantastical beasts, masks, swags and strapwork
Minor losses; small areas of restoration
20 in. (51.3 cm.) wide

来源

Rothschild inv. no. AR3028.

出版

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE:
Sale catalogue, Christie's, London, Catalogue of the Renowned Collection of Works of Art...formed by the late John Edward Taylor, Esq., 1-4 July and 9-12 July, 1912, lot 157, illustrated.
P. Verdier, Catalogue of the Painted Enamels of the Renaissance, Baltimore, 1967.
P. Verdier, The Frick Collection, VIII, New York, 1977, p. 188.

拍场告示

The scene depicted in the well of this dish is based, with variations, upon an engraving by Etienne Delaune, after Jean Cousin the Elder.

We would like to thank Christopher Mendez for drawing this to our attention.

拍品专文

The scene depicted in the well of this platter comes from the Old Testament (Numbers 21:4-8), when the Israelites were in the wilderness under the leadership of Moses. For speaking against Moses and the Lord, God sent poisonous serpents to attack the sinners. When they repented and asked for forgiveness, the Lord told Moses to erect a bronze snake on a pole, and all who looked upon it would live. The story was considered to be a pre-figuration of Man's salvation through Christ on the Cross.

The attribution to Jean de Court, is based on the platter's similarities to at least two other signed works, an oval platter in the Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore (Verdier, op. cit., no. 170) and another platter sold in these Rooms (sale catalogue, loc. cit.) from the collection of J.E. Taylor. The former example has an identical decorative scheme of masks, strapwork and swags to that seen on the reverse of present lot, and the Taylor enamel uses the same fantastical creatures around the border as those employed here. Jean de Court was a member of the dynasty of Limoges enamellers which included Jean Court dit Vigier, and Suzanne de Court. He may be identical with the Jean de Court who was painter to Mary Queen of Scots (and wife of King Franois II) and King Charles IX of France (Verdier, Frick, loc. cit.).