Plaquette van koper met émail met voorstelling van de Geboorte van Christus en de aanbidding door de herders.

About this artwork

height 17.8 cm x width 14.6 cm x thickness 1.8 cm

Art Historical Context

This exquisite copper plaquette, crafted by Jean-Baptiste Nouailher (I) around 1725–1775, vividly captures the Nativity of Christ and the shepherds' adoration—a timeless biblical scene rendered in luminous champlevé enamel. 17.8 cm high, 14.6 cm wide, and 1.8 cm thick, its intimate scale made it ideal for private devotion or display in affluent 18th-century homes, evoking the warmth of the holy manger amid the era's opulent interiors. Nouailher, a master enameler from Limoges, France—the historic epicenter of enamel artistry—excelled in champlevé, a technique where troughs are meticulously carved into the copper base, filled with powdered glass enamels, and fired to create vibrant, durable colors. This medieval method, revived brilliantly in the 18th century, allowed for intricate detailing: the soft glow of the infant Jesus, the humble shepherds' awe, and ethereal landscapes that blend realism with spiritual fervor. In the context of the Enlightenment and Catholic revival, such plaquettes bridged Baroque grandeur with emerging Rococo elegance, serving as both devotional objects and collector's treasures. Nouailher's work exemplifies Limoges' enduring legacy, transforming metal into a window on divine mystery for generations of admirers.