THIRTY-FIVE ENAMELS IN COPPER

Artist: Unknown artist from Limoges

Date: 16th century

Dimensions: Various

Materials: Copper and enamel

Inventory Numbers: 64484-64516

This series of eighteen copper plates in painted enamel with the Stories of the Passion of Christ (invs. 64499-64516) are exemplary. Despite their small size (approx. 20.3 x 16 cm), the artist stages elaborate compositions rich in pathos with embellishments in a wide range of colors including gold. The other four rectangular painted enamel plates (invs. 64484-64487) are of reduced dimensions (approx. 12 x 10 cm) depicting: Ecce Homo “Behold the Man”; Christ before Pilate; Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. They are taken from the series of engravings of Albrecht Dürer’s Small Passion; Dormition of the Virgin. The focus is on the Mother of Christ in two small centered plates donated by Francesco Vettori to Pope Benedict XIV, who entrusted the scholar with the care of the newly founded Christian Museum (1756).

Restoration Procedures

• Non-invasive analysis of materials

• Assess methodology to assist during the cleaning process

• Photographic documentation of the before and after

• Degrease with ketone solvents and Rochelle salts