Limoges Enamel – Pantheon And Abradate

Painted enamel on copper depicting the tragedy of Panthea and Abradate, inspired by Xenophon's Cyropaedia. The scene, of great dramatic intensity, shows Panthea taking her own life after the disappearance of her husband Abradate, lying beside her. The decoration includes warrior attributes (helmet, weapons, overturned chariot), reinforcing the heroic and tragic interpretation of the subject. The inscription "PANTHEI," visible at the bottom of the composition, clearly identifies the heroine in a Latinized form, characteristic of the learned productions of 17th-century Limoges workshops. The piece belongs to the famous "Strong Women" series, produced in Limoges in the second half of the 17th century, probably within the circle of the Laudin family. The border with polychrome floral decoration on a light background, combined with a dark enameled reverse, corresponds to the known typologies of these workshops. Date: circa 1660–1680 Origin: Limoges Attribution: Laudin workshop or circle Material: polychrome and gilt enameled copper Condition: very good condition, no losses Comparative Bibliography: - Musée des Arts décoratifs de Bordeaux - Walters Art Museum, Baltimore Comparable Sale Results: - Sotheby's Paris: 8 €750 - Christie's London: approx. €10,400 - Artcurial Paris: €7,200