Paten of the Chalice of Suger - Jules Ferdinand Jacquemart

A precise nineteenth-century etching by Jules Ferdinand Jacquemart, documenting the medieval Paten of the Chalice of Suger from the Louvre collection.

This etching by Jules Ferdinand Jacquemart captures the Paten of the Chalice of Suger, a medieval liturgical vessel held in the collection of the Musée du Louvre. Jacquemart, a master of the etching medium, specialised in the precise reproduction of decorative arts and historical objects. His work often appeared in publications documenting the treasures of European museums, providing a visual record of items that were otherwise difficult to access for the general public.

The original paten, associated with Abbot Suger of Saint-Denis, is a piece of twelfth-century craftsmanship. It features a central basin of porphyry, surrounded by a border of gold, pearls, and precious stones. Jacquemart employs a refined etching technique to render the textures of the stone and the reflective qualities of the metalwork. The composition focuses on the circular form of the object, set against a neutral background, which allows the viewer to examine the arrangement of the gems and the small, fish-like figures engraved within the central basin.

Jacquemart was known for his ability to translate the three-dimensional qualities of jewellery and metalwork into the two-dimensional medium of print. His approach is objective and analytical, prioritising the accurate depiction of form and material over atmospheric effects. This print reflects the nineteenth-century interest in the systematic cataloguing of historical artefacts. By isolating the object from its context, Jacquemart invites a close study of the craftsmanship involved in the creation of the medieval original. The print serves as a document of both the historical object and the technical skill of the etcher, who successfully navigated the challenges of representing varied surfaces and light reflections through line work alone.