The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of January 26, 2023

Quatrilobed Plaque

c. 1280–1300

France, Paris, Ile-de-France, Gothic period, early 14th century

Gold, translucent enamel

Overall: 4.8 x 4.8 cm (1 7/8 x 1 7/8 in.)

The Mary Spedding Milliken Memorial Collection, Gift of William Mathewson Milliken 1932.537

Location

106C Medieval Treasury

Fun Fact

Julien was not the only artisan to produce <em>émaux de plique</em>; therefore, an exact attribution to an artist is problematic.

Description

This rare four-lobed plaque is a superb example of émail de plique, a virtuoso enameling method popular in Paris during the late 1200s with the court of Philip the Fair (reigned 1285–1314). Plaques like this were prepared in advance to be attached to larger works including crosses, chalices, reliquaries, or even sewn into precious fabrics for decoration. Given the very distinctive shape of this plaque it is certain to have been created for a specific commission.

Citations
The Cleveland Museum of Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art Handbook. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1958. Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 148 archive.org
The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966. Reproduced: p. 53 archive.org
Wixom, William D. Treasures from Medieval France. [Cleveland]: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1967. Mentioned: p. 174; Reproduced: p. 175; cat. no.III-3 archive.org
The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969. Reproduced: p. 52 archive.org
The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. Reproduced: p. 58 archive.org
Fliegel, Stephen N., and Elina Gertsman. Myth and Mystique: Cleveland's Gothic Table Fountain. 2016. Mentioned: p. 108-111
Mikolic, Amanda, "A Gem of an Enamel", The Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine, 16 (2017). p. 16 www.clevelandart.org
Distefano, Giampaolo. Esmaltis viridibus: lo smalto de plique tra XIII e XIV secolo. Savigliano: L'Artistica Editrice, 2021. cover, cat no. 6, pp. 158-159
Exhibition history

Paris, France. Galeries nationales du Grand Palias "L'art en France au temps de Philippe le Bel" 3/17 - 6/2/98; exh. cat. no. 134, p. 209-210.

The Cleveland Museum of Art (10/09/2016-02/26/2017); “Myth and Mystique: Cleveland’s Gothic Table Fountain”.

The Silver Jubilee Exhibition. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 23-September 28, 1941).

Treasures of Medieval France. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (November 16, 1966-January 29, 1967).

Object Lessons: Cleveland Creates an Art Museum. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 7-September 8, 1991).

L'Art en France au temps de Philippe le Bel. Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais, Paris, France (March 1-June 30, 1998).

Myth and Mystique: Cleveland's Gothic Table Fountain. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 9, 2016-February 26, 2017).

Source URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1932.537