Plate from the Limoges workshop of the 17th century

Dish from the 17th century Limoges workshop.
"Susanna and the Elders", Old Testament series.
Copper with cloisonné enamel.
With labels on the reverse.
With some chipping.
Measurements: 21.5 cm (diameter).
Copper dish with monochrome enamel "en grisaille" highlighted in gold, which has its repercussions on the rim of the dish, ornamented with masks and fantastic animals. The theme of Susanna and the old men fills the bottom of the dish, while the back of the dish features the face of a woman with classical features, from which emanate tendrils and foliate motifs. As for the main theme, that of Susanna and the Elders (found in the Old Testament, specifically in the Book of Daniel), it should be noted that it belongs to the Greek version of the Bible, known as the Septuagint, which dates back to the third century BC. Susanna was a beautiful and chaste woman, the wife of Joachim, a wealthy Jew in the Babylonian Exile. She is seen and desired by two elders who had been appointed judges among the Jews in exile; the two agree to surprise her alone and convince her to give herself to them. In the most aesthetically widespread version in the history of art, this takes place during the young woman's bath. Susanna, however, confronts the elders, telling them that she prefers death to sin. The men, seeing themselves rejected, accuse Susanna of adultery, and she is brought to trial, where they falsely testify against her. In view of the importance of her accusers, Susanna is condemned to death by stoning. On the way to her death, however, the prophet Daniel, then only a child, stops the popular procession and rebukes the people for acting without full knowledge of the cause, and calls for the two elders to be separated for intelligent questioning. The two false witnesses then contradict each other in their statements, and are condemned to death in Susanna's place.
Limoges enamelling has a long tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, in particular to the last painting of the 12th century. It was the most important enamel workshop in France, and owed its success in particular to its production of enamel-decorated objects in addition to the usual enamelled plates. Its medieval pieces had their own characteristics, such as a very shallow background dragging or a very fine partitioning for details, as well as an innovative chromatism that included new tones such as light blue-grey or white.