Enamelled plaque depicting the Annunciation, Italy, Siena, ca. 1325

Enamelled plaque representing the Annunciation.The translucent enamels on the engraved silver ground in a palette of blue, orange, green, purple and red. The shaped and lobed frame of copper gilt, decorated with a row of bosses on a punched ground, punctuated with triangular eyelets and with one setting containing a glass paste.

This object came into the Museum from the Webb collection, a large and important collection of medieval ivories and metalwork, which was bought by the V&A in 1874. Although the original provenance of the object is unknown, it was made by a Sienese goldsmith, probably for use in a Tuscan church.

Historical significance: This object is one of the largest translucent enamels in the V&A's collection. This important technique was especially exploited in Siena from the late thirteenth century, and was employed to produce some of the most important works of ecclesiastical metalwork from the period. The metalworkers of Siena in the early fourteenth century were highly sophisticated artists, aware of the latest developments in painting and sculpture. The scene shown here recalls painted versions of the same subject by Simone Martini and 'Barna' da Siena (an artist probably identical with Lippo Memmi). Enamels of this sort were small but highly detailed, and would only have been visible close-up.

The exact function of this object is not clear. When acquired, it was believed to be a morse (a fastening for a cope), but this is unlikely, given the fact that there are no traces of a clasp arrangement. In fact, the back of the object is smooth. The holes in the triangular pieces of copper around the outside of the frame originally held cabochon pieces of glass, rather than acting as fixings, as is shown by the surviving glass cabochon on the piece. Nevertheless, it seems most likely that this object was intended to be affixed to something, either a larger piece of metalwork, or an ecclesiastical textile - perhaps even an altar frontal. A similar, although somewhat smaller, plaque is affixed to the 'Sacra Cintola' (Holy Girdle) in Pisa.

A very similar object survives in the Musée de Cluny, Paris (inv. no. Cl. 21557), identical in terms of its form and the decoration of its frame, although the enamel panel is probably by a different artist than that of the V&A's plaque. It is possible that this was intended to be fixed to the same object as the V&A plaque.

The attribution of this piece to the Sienese goldsmith Ugolino di Vieri (first mentioned 1329, died 1380-85) or a close associate is longstanding. It was first placed in this ambit by Rossi in 1956, an opinion followed by Gaulthier in 1972 and Campbell in 1983. More recent opinions have expressed some caution: Taburet-Delahaye (1988) has suggested that the work emanates from an artist close to, but not identical with, the 'Maestro di Frosini', and Cioni (1998) has in a footnote also disputed an attribution to Ugolino or his circle.

This object is one of the largest translucent enamels in the V&A's collection. This technique was especially popular with Sienese goldsmiths. The metalworkers of Siena were highly sophisticated artists, aware of the latest developments in painting and sculpture. This Annunciation scene is similar to contemporary painted versions of the subject. The exact function of this object is not clear, but it was probably attached either to a larger piece of metalwork, or an ecclesiastical textile - perhaps an altar frontal. A similar plaque is attached to the Holy Girdle relic in Pisa.

221-1874