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Book Cover Plaque with Christ in Majesty

ca. 1185–1210
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 304
The earliest known textual reference to the famous enamels produced in the city of Limoges during the twelfth through the fourteenth century concerns a book cover seen in the Abbey of Saint Victor in Paris in the 1160s and intended for an English abbot. Plaques showing Christ in Majesty surrounded by symbols of the evangelists, usually paired with a plaque showing the Crucifixion, were produced in large numbers by Limoges enamelers. The textures and patterns created through the engraving and stippling of the five appliqué figures make this a particularly noteworthy example.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Book Cover Plaque with Christ in Majesty
  • Date: ca. 1185–1210
  • Geography: Made in Limoges, France
  • Culture: French
  • Medium: Copper (plaque): engraved, scraped, stippled, and gilt; (appliqués): repoussé, engraved, chased, and gilt; champlevé enamel: blue-black, dark, medium, and light blue; green, yellow, red, brownish red, and white, blue-black glass inset eyes.
  • Dimensions: Overall: 10 3/4 x 5 9/16 x 11/16 in. (27.3 x 14.2 x 1.7 cm)
  • Classification: Enamels-Champlevé
  • Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
  • Object Number: 17.190.757
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

More Artwork

More Artwork
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Tabernacle of Cherves, Copper (plaques): engraved, scraped, stippled, and gilt; (appliqués): repoussé, chased, engraved, scraped, and gilt; champlevé enamel: medium blue, turquoise, medium green, yellow, red, and white, modern wood mount, French
Tabernacle of Cherves
French
ca. 1220–1230
Chasse of Champagnat, Copper: engraved and gilt; champlevé enamel: blue-black, medium blue, turquoise, green, red, and white, French
Chasse of Champagnat
French
ca. 1150
Reliquary Bust of Saint Yrieix, Silver and gilded silver with rock crystal, gems, and glass, French
Reliquary Bust of Saint Yrieix
French
ca. 1220–40, with later grill
Chasse with the Crucifixion and Christ in Majesty, Copper: engraved, chiseled, stippled, and gilt; champlevé enamel: dark, medium, and light blue; turquoise, dark and light green, yellow, red, and white; wood core, painted red on exterior, French
Chasse with the Crucifixion and Christ in Majesty
French
ca. 1180–90
Plaque with Saint Peter in Glory, Copper (plaque): chased, engraved, stippled, and gilt; (appliqué): repoussé, engraved, chased, scraped, stippled and gilt; champlevé enamel: medium and light blue, turquoise, green, yellow, red, and white; dark blue and turquoise glass beads, French
Plaque with Saint Peter in Glory
French
ca. 1185–1200

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