Triptych: Christ Crowned with Thorns with The Kiss of Judas and The Flagellation

This triptych is not signed, but the technique, broad drawing style, and high-keyed palette are consistent with works by Jean Pénicaud I. Like many enamelers before and after him, Pénicaud drew elements of his compositions from prints that were circulating throughout Europe and provided exposure to international artistic currents. For the central scene, he closely followed an engraving by Martin Schongauer, enlarging the figures to allow their dynamic poses, demonstrative gestures, and brightly colored garments to fill the space. He also included Italian elements that would have been perceived as modern motifs in early sixteenth-century France: the geometric tile floor, the marble insets in the back wall, and the classical columns.

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

G. H. Morland, London. Frédéric Spitzer, Paris. His sale, April 17–June 16, 1893, 33 rue de Villejust, Paris, Lot 422. Chabrière-Arlès, Paris. Duveen. Frick, 1916.

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