Plaque with the Nativity

Art Historical Context

This exquisite champlevé enamel plaque, created around 1165 in the South Netherlands, captures the Nativity scene with tender reverence. Measuring just over four inches square, the work depicts the Virgin Mary and infant Jesus in a compact composition typical of medieval devotional art. Crafted from copper alloy with gilt accents, the piece exemplifies the sophisticated enamel techniques flourishing in the Meuse Valley region during the Romanesque period. Champlevé enameling involved carving recessed channels into the metal surface and filling them with colored glass paste before firing, crea...