Front Cover for a Gospel Book of French Cardinal Jean La Balou (1421-1491)
Unknown Artist
c. 1467–68
Medium
nielloed silver plaques within gilt-silver borders
Dimensions
41.6 × 29.6 × 1.6 cm
Classification
Metalwork
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1952.109
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Scenes from Christ’s infancy decorate this cover that once adorned the front of a gospel book. It is made up of a series of silver plaques held together by gilt-silver borders. The plaques are engraved, and the resulting fine lines or depressions have been filled with a silver sulfide alloy, lustrous black in color, in a technique called niello. It is one of the finest examples of this decorative technique for which Florence was renowned in the 15th century. This cover and its manuscript once be...