Roundel
ca. 1550 - 1560 (made)
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Roundel with bust portrait of the Emperor Vespasian in profile to the right, painted in enamels en grisaille and with gilding on copper, probably by Pierre Courteys (ca.1520 - ca.1580), Limoges, France, ca.1550-60. The emperor, who has a moustache and long flowing beard, wears a laurel wreath with long tassle at the back, painted in gold, over his intricately delineated hair. His golden armour, worn over an undershirt the top of which is gently pleated and edged with gold, is painted to resemble expensive chased decoration. Part of a cloak known as a paludamentum can be seen at the rear of his neck. The iris of the emperor's eye is rendered by lines radiating from the pupil. The grisaille work includes stippling to create contour and shadow on his face. His name is given in capital letters to left and right of the portrait. The enamel is neither signed nor dated.
This enamel reflects the taste for subjects from classical antiquity in the art of the Renaissance. Suetonius' Lives of the Caesars was a hugely popular Roman literary work, which circulated throughout Europe in many editions following the success of its publication in Rome in 1470. The depictions of the emperors' profile bust portraits on enamels may follow Roman coins, Renaissance bronze medals and a set of engravings by Marcantonio Raimondi.
This enamel reflects the taste for subjects from classical antiquity in the art of the Renaissance. Suetonius' Lives of the Caesars was a hugely popular Roman literary work, which circulated throughout Europe in many editions following the success of its publication in Rome in 1470. The depictions of the emperors' profile bust portraits on enamels may follow Roman coins, Renaissance bronze medals and a set of engravings by Marcantonio Raimondi.
Object details
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| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in enamels with gilding. |
| Brief description | The Emperor Vespasian, painted in enamels en grisaille and with gilding on copper, probably Pierre Courteys, Limoges, France, ca.1550-60. |
| Physical description | Roundel with bust portrait of the Emperor Vespasian in profile to the right, painted in enamels en grisaille and with gilding on copper, probably by Pierre Courteys (ca.1520 - ca.1580), Limoges, France, ca.1550-60. The emperor, who has a moustache and long flowing beard, wears a laurel wreath with long tassle at the back, painted in gold, over his intricately delineated hair. His golden armour, worn over an undershirt the top of which is gently pleated and edged with gold, is painted to resemble expensive chased decoration. Part of a cloak known as a paludamentum can be seen at the rear of his neck. The iris of the emperor's eye is rendered by lines radiating from the pupil. The grisaille work includes stippling to create contour and shadow on his face. His name is given in capital letters to left and right of the portrait. The enamel is neither signed nor dated. This enamel reflects the taste for subjects from classical antiquity in the art of the Renaissance. Suetonius' Lives of the Caesars was a hugely popular Roman literary work, which circulated throughout Europe in many editions following the success of its publication in Rome in 1470. The depictions of the emperors' profile bust portraits on enamels may follow Roman coins, Renaissance bronze medals and a set of engravings by Marcantonio Raimondi. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'CAESAR · ' and 'IMP · VASPASIANUS', painted in gold (To left and right of the bust portrait)
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| Object history | Purchased from Soulages Collection. Though the further provenance is uncertain, Jules Soulages was collecting actively in France (Paris, Toulouse, Lyons) in the period 1825-mid 1840s, By 1849 he had incurred debts and started to consider the sale of the collection which he housed first in Paris at 75 Grande Rue St. Michel and then in his house in Toulouse which was known informally as the 'Musée Soulages'. He also made several visits to Italy and collected there. Neither John Webb’s report on the Soulages Collection, nor the catalogue compiled by the early curator of the South Kensington Museum, J. C. Robinson, provide clues as to provenance prior to Soulages’ ownership. Clotilde Deflassieux, 'Le musée Soulages, étude d’une collection particulière toulousaine au XIXe siècle, Mémoire, Univ. de Toulouse-Le Mirail, 1992, does not provide individual object provenance. From a different Caesar series is a Nero at Ecouen (inv. E.Cl.21968) which measures 25.5cms, and another Nero sold at Sotheby Parke Bernet’s Mentmore sale, May 1977, see ‘Catalogue of Works of Art and Silver’, vol.2, p.200, no.1142. No museum is known to hold a complete set of Caesars. There would likely have been 12 in a set, but the emperors we not always the same 12. |
| Production | Made as one of a set, of which the V&A has five roundels (Claudius, Nero, Otho, Vespasian, Vitellius). |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 5629-1859 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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