ALTARPIECE OF THE EPIPHANY

POLYCHROME DECORATION 

Rich, meticulously-applied polychrome decoration. Garments are decorated with burnished gilt and azurite, whereas traceries, stars and a few other details have been picked out and decorated with gilt on mordant. Brilliant red glaze with gold motifs. Green glaze is sparingly used to imitate grassy ground. Applications of metal flowers painted consecutively in red, white and blue. Matte flesh tones and brownish hair. 

• Matte gold with small dots of brown glaze (Melchior's hat)

• Gold on mordant applied by brush to red glaze (Melchior)

• Gold painted on azurite (stars to the rear, under arches)

• Motifs painted in black on gold (Balthazar)

• Continuous applied brocade to the rear of all three scenes. Vegetable motifs with leaves following a diagonal pattern. Orange wax-like filler. Outlines with relief, enhancements in red glaze, vertical and diagonal lines (12 lines per cm.). Height of the plaque: 8 cm.