A very mysterious piece that we estimate to be from the early 1900s, It appears to be a storyboard of Mary Magdalene & Saint Martha of Bethanys time in France.

The top left image shows them arriving to Marseille in the rudderless, sailless boat without ores.

The top right image appears to show Mary Magdalene preaching before a pagan temple which appears to be falling into ruin.

The bottom image shows saint Martha taming the Tarasque - A hybrid creature that terrorised the local people.

The plague is unusually cast onto a copper plate, There is some enamel loss on the bottom 2 corners which reveal this (See last 2 images)

The people shown are all faceless, Some areas have detail added on the surface of the plaque, for example, the statue in the top right image and saint Martha's dress in the bottom image, This detail can be rubbed off suggesting that the people at one point were more than faceless silhouettes, Either that or the plaque was never finished by the original creator. (Images 6 & 7 for the surface detail)

Under some areas outlines can be seen. (Images 10 & 11)

Some colours have a shiny crazed effect, For example, The elegant red clothing and the blue water under the Tarasque. (Images 8 & 9 for the crazed detail)

The plaque has a strong convex which I have tried to capture in the 3rd from last image.

The sign was acquired at a brocante in Saze, France.

It measures 34cm x 55cm.

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