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Casket: Scenes from the Story of Joseph

 (French, ca. 1520–ca. 1586)
Datelate 16th century
MediumPainted enamel on copper, partly gilded
Dimensions9 3/8 × 10 5/8 × 6 3/4 in. (23.8 × 27 × 17.1 cm)
Credit LineHenry Clay Frick Bequest
Accession number1916.4.32
Commentary

This casket is decorated with seven plaques, each of which depicts an episode of the Story of Joseph from the Book of Genesis. Following the biblical text chronologically, the scenes are painted after woodcuts by Bernard Salomon, first published in 1553 in Quadrins historiques de la Bible by Jean de Tournes and in various bibles issued afterward by the same publisher. Because of the clarity of Salomon’s illustrations, the story of Joseph became a recurrent source of inspiration for Limoges enamelers in the second half of the sixteenth century, among them, Pierre Reymond, Jean de Court, Suzanne de Court, and Pierre Courteys, who signed this casket.

Source: Vignon, Charlotte. The Frick Collection Decorative Arts Handbook. New York: The Frick Collection/Scala, 2015.

Collection History

Frédéric Spitzer, Paris. His sale, April 17–June 16, 1893, 33 rue de Villejust, Paris, Lot 540. J. Pierpont Morgan, London and New York. Duveen. Frick, 1916.

Source: Enamels, Rugs and Silver in The Frick Collection. Volume VIII. New York: The Frick Collection, 1977.

Not On View
Front view of enameled casket with Old Testament Subjects
Pierre Courteys
mid-16th century
View from above of one of a pair of saltcellars made from polychrome enamel, showing the profil…
Suzanne de Court
late 16th or early 17th century
A pair of saltcellars made from polychrome enamel
Suzanne de Court
late 16th or early 17th century
Front view of a Double-Tiered enameled polychrome Triptych depicting Scenes from the Passion of…
Workshop of Nardon Pénicaud
mid-16th century
Front view of polychrome enameled casket in a structure of gilt bronze with Old Testament Subje…
Attributed to the Workshop of Pierre Reymond
mid-16th century, with later additions
Front view of enameled and gilt copper Casket with scenes depicting Putti and Mottoes of Courtl…
Attributed to Colin Nouailher
ca. 1545
View from the top of an enameled polychrome Ewer Stand showing Moses Striking the Rock
Workshop of Pierre Reymond
late 16th century
View of an polychrome enameled saltcellar in the shape of a cup with Amorini and Satyrs
Attributed to the workshop of Pierre Reymond
mid-16th century
Frontal view of ewer in polychrome enamel showing The Gathering of Manna and The Destruction of…
Workshop of Pierre Reymond
late 16th century
Enamel in gold frame with enamel medallions
Workshop of Pierre Reymond
mid- to late 16th century
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