Pierre Courteys (French, 1520-1602): A Limoges en-grisaille enamelled bowl depicting the Laocoon and his children

Footnotes

Provenance
Property of a private Italian collector

Limoges in the south west region of France, has been world-famous for producing enamels for centuries. Originating in the 12th century, the industry of decorating metal objects, usually in bronze and brass (and mostly made for ecclesiastical purposes) in champleve coloured enamels, thrived until circa 1370 when a swift decline meant that these precious manufacturing skills were almost lost. However, in the late 15th century the production of enamel returned to the region but with a move to producing more secular objects. With this revival came new techniques including painting the decoration directly onto the enamel rather than gouging out designs then flooding them with enamel. Several notable French workshops emerged with their own distinctive styles who would, in some cases, also sign or punch mark their work. Usually depicting mythological or religious narratives, these wares, often plates, chargers or plaques, became highly prized objects.

Perhaps one of the best enamel painters of Limoges, Courteys was probably a disciple of Pierre Reymond working from circa 1550-1568. Courteys is thought to have died in 1602 and many of his works are now in the Louvre in Paris.

Literature
Suzanne. Higgot, with contributions from Isabell Biron, Susan La Neice, Juanita Navarro and Stefan Rohrs, The Wallace Collection Catalogue of Glass and Limoges Painted Enamels, The Trustees of the Wallace Collection, 2011.

We would like to thank Suzanne Higgot, curator of Glass, Limoges and painted enamels at The Wallace Collection, London for her kind and generous assistance in cataloguing this lot.