Italian, Venice, circa 1500

Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, France;

Their sale, Paris, Christies, 23 - 25 February, lot 595;

With J. Kugel Antiquaires, 2022;

From whom acquired by the present collector.

The body of the present casket is painted with bright blues and white enamel, highlighted by intricate gilt decoration adorning its interior and exterior.

This casket, similarly to lots 12, 31 and 32, is situated within a distinct group of Venetian enamel works produced in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. For a further discussion on the production of Venetian enamel works, see lot 12.

The current casket was formerly in the collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé. A closely related example from the Princely House of Liechtenstein was sold at Christie’s Amsterdam on 1 April 2008, and another casket of this type, now in the Musée du Louvre (accession no. R 251), was previously owned by Baron and Baroness Salomon de Rothschild. Such distinguished provenance underscores the enduring appeal of these caskets among some of the most influential collectors of their time.