Enamel Plaque: The Compassion of Christ (Christ tended by two men) France, Limoges, mid-16th century Painted enamel on copper, gilded details This enamel plaque depicts a rare and emotionally charged scene showing Christ seated on the cold stone, tended by two male figures who offer Him water and support. The semi-nude Christ, crowned with thorns, bears the marks of His suffering, while the Instruments of the Passion, the ladder, nails, hammer, and cross, lie beside Him. Above the composition appears the gilded inscription “IHS·SALVATOR·MUNDI” (“Jesus, Saviour of the World”). The figures are rendered in vivid enamel colours with finely drawn outlines and gilded highlights on a black ground, typical of Limoges enamelling of the sixteenth century. The subject may derive from the devotional image of Christ on the Cold Stone, here reinterpreted as a moment of compassion and human tenderness preceding the Crucifixion. Dimensions: 10 x 8.8 cm. (excl. frame) 15 x 13.5 cm. (incl. frame) Provenance: Dutch private collection