Flat copper plaque, engraved, chased and gilt, with champlevé enamel decoration, France, Limoges, ca.1200-50

Flat copper plaque, engraved, chased and gilt, with champlevé enamel decoration. Plaque is of rectangular shape with a triangular gable, and two feet. In the centre stands a gilded male figure, wearing a long robe and cloak, and holding a book with both hands. He has a halo and is beardless. He stands on three semi-circles decorated with green/yellow and light blue/white enamel. He is flanked by two gilded columns, supporting a round arch over his head. On the apex of the arch is a small gilded turret. The background is dark blue, with a lighter blue cross-band at about hip-height. The cross-band is ornamented with gilded quatrefoils, and bordered in gilt. The blue background within the arch area is ornamented with gilded and punched S-shaped scroll decorations, terminating in cinquefoils. The feet are gilded with a engraved cross-hatching pattern.

The border of the plaque is enamelled in black and light blue, and decorated with gilded crosses/quatrefoils. There are 11 holes around it to allow it to be pinned to the wooden core of the casket. Pins remain in four of these holes, which are probably original.
The reverse is plain copper, with some corrosion products.

The panel is in good condition, with some wear and losses of gilding. There is one area of damage to the left cross band.

Bought from T Sheppard Esq, FGS, FSA (Scot), Municipal Museum, Hull

The shape of this plaque indicates that it originally formed the end of a reliquary casket or 'chasse' assembled in Limoges, France, to house relics. The male figure probably represents an apostle - there are many surviving examples of chasses incorporating figures of apostles on their ends including M.572-1910. This shares several characteristics with this plaque, including the gilded figure set against an enamelled background (as opposed to the slightly earlier norm of an enamelled figure against a gilded background) and the round arch, surmounted by a turret with similar border decoration.

Limoges was a major centre for export, and examples of their production were sent all over Christian Europe.

The shape of this plaque indicates that it originally formed the end of a reliquary casket or 'chasse' assembled in Limoges, France, to house relics. The male figure probably represents an apostle - there are many surviving examples of Limoges chasses incorporating figures of apostles on their ends. Another casket in the V&A (M.572-1910) shares several characteristics with this plaque, including the gilded figure set against an enamelled background (as opposed to the slightly earlier norm of an enamelled figure against a gilded background) and the round arch, surmounted by a turret with similar border decoration.
Limoges was a major centre for export, and examples of their production were sent all over Christian Europe.

CIRC.406-1921