Plaque with Saint George Slaying the Dragon

The saint, wearing pseudo-classical armor decorated with scrolls, a winged helmet and embroidered buskins, his flying mantle clasped on the right shoulder with a round fibula, rides a white horse which rears toward the right. Beneath its feet lies the dragon which he has vanquished with his spear. A quiver of arrows is slung at his belt. To the left, in the background, kneels the king's daughter to whom had fallen the lot to be devored by the dragon. Above her in the clouds an angel holds a shield charged with the arms of the saint. These should be: argent, a cross gules, but the enameller has transcribed them as: azure, a cross argent. The inscription S GEORGES is lettered vertically on the background at the extreme left.
The composition is based on an etching by Daniel Hopfer of ca. 1520.

Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.

Frédéric Spitzer Collection, Paris, by purchase, no. 83; Sale, Paul Chevallier and Charles Mannheim, Paris, April 17, 1893, no. 499; Charles Borradaile Collection, Brighton [date of acquisition unknown], by purchase; George Robinson Harding, London [date of acquisition unknown], by purchase; Henry Walters, Baltimore, [date of acquisition unknown] by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.