Plaque

Art Historical Context

This exquisite 13th-century French, crafted by an unknown artist, exemplifies the mastery of champlevé enamel on copper—a technique that flourished in medieval Europe, particularly in workshops around Limoges. Measuring just 5 1/8 x 5 1/8 inches and remarkably thin at 1/16 inch, its petite scale suggests it may have adorned a larger object, such as a reliquary, book cover, or liturgical item, blending functionality with luminous beauty. Champlevé, meaning "raised field" in French, involved carving channels into the copper base, filling them with powdered glass enamels in vibrant colors, and f...