Roland
ca. 1541
Medium
Painted and partly gilded enamel on copper
Dimensions
Diameter: 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm)
Classification
Enamels
Culture
French, Limoges
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, John H. and Susan Gutfreund Gift, 1993
Accession Number
1993.65.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the heroic figure of *Roland*, a masterful painted and partly gilded enamel on copper by Colin Nouailher, crafted around 1541 in Limoges, France. Measuring just 8¾ inches in diameter, this artwork captures the legendary knight from the medieval epic *Song of Roland*, likely shown in dynamic action with horse and rider, evoking chivalric valor amid the Carolingian legends popularized during the Renaissance. Limoges was Europe's premier center for enamel production in the 16th century, where artists like Nouailher elevated the craft to fine art. The technique involved painting finely gro...