Plaque: Jupiter under a Canopy

Standing under a canopy in the center of this enameled plaque, Jupiter appears triumphant. He wears a crown and holds a scepter; the eagle, one of his attributes, is at his feet. Seated beside him are two figures—likely monks or scholars—portrayed with asses’ ears, a representation often used at the time to depict the corruption of the Catholic Church. The decorative elements include grotesques, flowers and leaves, birds and animals, and the head of a putto. The elaborate composition on the front derives from an engraving by Etienne Delaune (ca. 1518–1583) that is from a suite of grotesques with Roman divinities (Suite de grotesques avec des divinités). The back of the case contains a mirror.