French, Limoges, first half 16th century

with a label on the reverse of the frame inscribed: Leg gis(?) / 10208

Thorvald Erichsen (1868-1939), Norway;
thence by inheritance to Henrik Sørensen (1878-1962);
thence by descent to the present owners

Overall the condition of the enamel is good, with some wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. There are areas of restorations around the edges on all sides. There are also a few areas of loss, notably at the four corners, two sections at the top, and two sections to the right edge, as well as a very small area at the bottom edge, and another above the Apostle's head on the right. There is minor craquelure to the enamel. There is wear to the gilding, which has ghosted in several areas such as the Virgin's cloak. There is some warping to the copper plate. One of the 'jewels' on the tomb is lost, and another appears to have 'moved' further up in the composition, with some loss. There is wear to the wood frame throughout, including minor losses, chips and abrasions, as well as sections which may have suffered from past worming. There is also fraying to the fabric lining.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This poignant enamel with the Entombment shares several stylistic features with Limoges works from the early 16th century; for the decoration of the tomb, compare the background of a plaque with the Virgin and Child attributed to the Master of the Orléans Triptych or workshop in the Wallace Collection (inv. no. C573). Further parallels, such as the town in the background, and to an extent Christ's anatomy, may be drawn with the workshop of Jean I Pénicaud (see Baratte, op. cit., pp. 44-46).

RELATED LITERATURE
S. Baratte, Les Émaux peints de Limoges, cat. Musée du Louvre, Paris, 2000; S. Higgott, Catalogue of Glass and Limoges Painted Enamels, cat. The Wallace Collection, London, 2011, pp. 194-198