Plaque from a Chasse
Unknown Artist
13th century
Medium
Champlevé enamel, copper-gilt
Dimensions
Overall: 3 7/16 x 7 1/4 x 1/16 in. (8.7 x 18.4 x 0.2 cm)
Classification
Enamels-Champlevé
Culture
French
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Accession Number
17.190.807
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Plaque from a Chasse*, crafted by an unknown French artist in the 13th century is a stunning example of medieval enamelwork from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval Art collection. Measuring just 3 7/16 x 7 1/4 inches, this slender copper-gilt panel once adorned a *chasse*—a-shaped reliquary designed to house sacred relics of saints. Such objects were central to Christian devotion during the High Middle Ages, serving as portable treasures for pilgrims and altars alike. The plaque's medium, champlevé enamel, highlights the technical mastery of Limoges workshops, France's ...