The Royal Gold Cup

Paris, France, about AD 1370-80

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This cup is made of solid gold and lavishly decorated with translucent enamels. The scenes shown on it relate to the life and miracles of St Agnes.

Agnes was imprisoned in a brothel as punishment for refusing to marry Procopius, son of the prefect Sempronius, in the time of the Emperor Constantine (reigned AD 306-337). She subsequently restored Procopius to life when he was strangled by a demon. Although he was repentant, Agnes was not spared her fate, and was condemned to burn. However, the flames had no effect on her, and she had to be killed with a spear. The cover of the cup is devoted to this section of the story, with each scene explained by a Latin inscription.

The bowl shows St Agnes’ burial, the martyrdom of her sister Erementiana by stoning (St Agnes appears at the scene with three virgin martyrs carrying palms), and the healing of Princess Constantia of leprosy. The foot of the cup is decorated with the symbols of the Evangelists; the interior of the bowl and cover contain enamels of St Agnes receiving instruction, and God in Majesty.

The cup was given formally to Charles VI of France (reigned 1380-1422) by Jean Duc de Berry (1340-1416) on the occasion of his visit to Tourraine in 1391. However, it is unlikely that it was made for this occasion since the two men had been on bad terms, and the meeting was something of a reconciliation. It is possible that the Duc de Berry had the cup made for his brother Charles V (who was born on St Agnes’ day, 21 January). Charles died in 1381 before it was completed, and so it was given to Charles VI when he and his uncle met.