Triptych: The Crucifixion; Saint Barbara; Saint Catherine of Alexandria

The earliest painted enamels from Limoges reflect the influence of books of hours and other medieval illuminated manuscripts. The Crucifixion scene shown here derives from a book of hours (now in the Art Institute of Chicago) that belonged to Katherine Gentille, wife of Marsau Dubost, consul of Limoges, in 1510. The triptych bears stylistic and technical similarities to approximately twenty-five enamels in public and private collections in Europe and the United States. As none of these are signed or dated, the enameler became known as the Master of the Orléans Triptych or the Master of the Baltimore and Orléans Triptychs, in reference to two of his works in the Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Orléans and the Walters Art Museum, respectively.

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

Paul Garnier, Paris. His sale, December 18-23, 1916, Hôtel Drouot, Paris, Lot 54. Duveen. Frick, 1918.

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