CIRCLE OF JEAN COURT, CIRCA 1580-1600

When the enamellers of Limoges broadened their repertoire in the mid-16th century to include secular as well as religious subjects, one of the most popular themes was the Months of the Year. This allowed the production of a series of plates or plaques depicting domestic scenes relevant to the month in question, and often also included a sign of the zodiac. The present plaque is based on a composition by the famous engraver Etienne Delaune of 1568. The engravings were used by a number of artists working in Limoges, including Pierre Reymond, who created a set of Months for the Chaspoux de Verneuil family of Brittany (see Limoges, op. cit., p. 162).