plate

The technique of decorating glass by scratching the surface with a diamond was introduced by the Venetians in the 16th century, and it was perfected in the Low Countries a century later. Unlike wheel engraving, which required a long period of training, the principal requirement of diamond-point engraving was the ability to draw well. This was certainly true in the case of the artist who produced the dish that is presented here. Its assurance of line proclaims it as one of the great masterpieces in its genre. The rim is decorated with emblematic designs, while the center shows the all-seeing eye of God above a crowned monogram composed of two Gs. The plate may have been made for Gaston, duke of Orléans (1608-1660), son of Henry IV of France.