A 19th century Limoges enamel triptych depicting Scenes from the life of St. John the Baptist


in the 16th century style after Martin Didier Pape the centre panel depicting John preaching, the left panel the baptism of Christ and the right panel the beheading of John, mounted within gilt brass reeded frames and inset into a hinged oak frame, the central panel, 26cm x 34cm, the side panels, 26cm x 13cm
|Martin Didier Pape and Jean II Pénicaud were the great masters of grisaille, a technique in which the composition is painted in a gray monochrome. The boldly incised lines on the enamels of Pape however recall the technique of the engraving which served as his models and he executed a number of similar triptychs which illustrate St. John baptizing Christ, preaching, and being beheaded.