Italian, Tuscany, late 14th century

With Blumka Gallery, New York, 1997;

From whom acquired by Dr Ernst Boehlen, Bern

Depicting Christ as the Man of Sorrows, Christ in Majesty, Mary Magdalene, and two saints, these beautiful quatrefoil plaques would once have adorned a processional or reliquary cross. Since two are slightly larger than the other three, they were probably placed on opposite sides of the cross and thus formed part of a larger iconographic scheme.

The refinement of cutting and enamelling places the plaques within the orbit of the goldsmith workshops of Siena, where the art of translucent enamel reached its zenith in the early decades of the 14th century. Arguably the masterpiece of this Sienese school, the Reliquary of the Santo Corporale of Bolsena in Orvieto, made by Ugolino di Vieri in 1337-1338, provides a reference for the rich palette of the present plaques. Further comparison can be made with the enamels decorating the reliquary bust of Saint Donatus in the church of Santa Maria della Pieve in Arezzo, which also exhibit similar rosettes in the background. Dated 1346, the bust’s enamels have often been attributed to Siena, though more recent scholarship has argued for a facture in Arezzo, under Sienese influence. While the present plaques' figural style suggests a slightly later dating, they were probably also made in a Tuscan workshop.

The saint in the bottom plaque has been identified as Saint Peter Martyr, on account of the sword seeming to pierce his chest. It was common in Italian metalwork at this time to favour the depiction of saints from recent history.

RELATED LITERATURE

E. Cioni, Scultura e smalto nell'oreficeria senese dei secoli XIII-XIV, Florence, 1998; P. Belluzzo et al., ‘Il restauro del busto di san Donato dalla Pieve di Arezzo: problemi di restauro e indagini’, in OPD Restauro, no. 23, 2011, pp. 82-100