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#285: #285: Transcript

Suzanne de Court est sans conteste l’une des personnalités les plus intrigantes lorsque nous pensons à la production des émaux de Limoges à la fin du XVIe et au début du XVIIe siècle. Son style est immédiatement reconnaissable : il se caractérise par des émaux translucides rouges, verts, bleus soulignés d’or. C’est aussi la manière aussi dont elle représente les figures dans ses sujets mythologiques. Malheureusement, peu de choses sont connues sur la vie de Suzanne de Court. Nous essayons toujours de déterminer si elle faisait partie de la famille De Court, l’une des plus grandes dynasties d’émailleurs à Limoges. Nous savons qu'elle y a dirigé un atelier. Il n'était pas rare pour des femmes à cette époque de prendre la tête d'un atelier y compris dans plusieurs domaines. C'était notamment le cas après le décès de l'époux. La veuve pouvait alors diriger l'atelier jusqu'à la majorité des enfants par exemple. Dans le cas de Suzanne de Court, un nombre d’émaux sont signés et portent ses initiales S.C. ou dans plusieurs cas son nom complet accolée de la lettre f. fecit (m’a fait) en latin.

Oval Medallion, Apollo and the Muses

 (French, act. ca. 1600)
Dateca. 1600
MediumLimoges; enamel on copper, parcel-gilt
Dimensions4 1/4 × 3 1/2 in. (10.8 × 8.9 cm)
Credit LineGift of Alexis Gregory, 2021
Accession number2021.4.13
Commentary
This composition representing Apollo and the Muses on Mount Helicon derives from a print by Giorgio Ghisi (15201582) that was made after a drawing by Luca Penni (1500 or 15041557). Flanked by a putto and Pegasus, Apollo is playing his lyre on deep green grass. Two bearded men wearing laurel wreaths, perhaps poets, are gesturing in his direction. Seated at their feet are the Muses: Erato, the Muse of lyric poetry; Calliope, of epic poetry; Thalia, of comedy and pastoral poetry; Urania, of astronomy; Terpsichore, of dance; Melpomene, of tragedy; Euterpe, of music; Clio, of history; and Polyhymnia, of sacred poetry. The group is separated by a river into which the nymph Castalia pours water from a vase.
Collection History
Baron Albert von Goldschmidt- Rothschild (1879–1941), Frankfurt; sale, Hermann Ball and Paul Graupe, Berlin, March 14, 1933 (lot 67); sale, Sotheby's, London, April 21, 1988 (lot 362); private collection, Kapellen, Belgium, until 1995; Jan Dirven Gallery, Antwerp; purchased by Alexis Gregory, 2001; Gift to The Frick Collection, 2021
Not On View
Painted enamel plaque of Jupiter under a canopy
Jean de Court (Master I.C.)
16th century
Black painted enamel dish with Jupiter on a chariot
Attributed to Jean de Court (Master I.C.)
mid 16th century
Black painted enamel dish depicting Saturn on a chariot
Attributed to Jean de Court (Master I.C.)
late 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
View of polychrome enameled oval dish seen from above depicting Apollo and the Muses as well as…
Martial Reymond
late 16th century
Black painted enamel ewer
Pierre Reymond
late 16th century
Black painted enamel dish depicting a battle scene of Jason confronting the giants
Pierre Reymond
1567–68
Painted enamel saltcellar
Pierre Reymond
ca. 1545
Small heart-shaped painted enamel plaque depicting the litanies of the Blessed Virgin
Pierre Reymond
mid 16th century
Black painted enamel calendar dish for the month of May
Attributed to Martial Courteys
ca. 1565–75
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