Robert Vauquer born in Blois in 1625, he came from a family of watchmakers, goldsmiths, engravers and enamelers. He was apprenticed to Christophe Morlière, the renowned enameler, who was himself a student of Toutin. Vauquer, along with Henri Toutin, is considered by many to have been the most accomplished painter of his age. He died at the relatively young age of 45, and was buried at the church of Saint-Honoré in Blois on October 3, 1670. The case represents four scenes from the Anthiopika of Helidor of Emesa. They are taken directly from a series of roundels painted on copper by Charles Poerson (1609 -1667), each aproximately 20.5 cm. in diameter, which are preserved in the Louvre and the Leegenhoek-Serre Collection (in the latter, the mythological subject is incorrectly attributed). The scenes are as follows: Front cover (exterior): The Abduction of Chariclea (painting in the Louvre RF 1974, 16). Front cover (interior): Theagenes receiving the flaming torch from the hand of Chariclea. Back cover (exterior): The trial of Theagenes and Chariclea before King Hydaspes and Queen Persinna of Ethiopia. Back cover (interior): The high priest Gymnosophist explains that the gods have rejected the human sacrifice of Chariclea and Theagenes and instead a calf is offered. Band: Four cartouches with further adventures and misadventures of Chariclea and Theagenes. Heliodorus says that Persina, Queen of Ethiopia, being impregnated by Hydaspes, also an Ethiopian, bore a daughter with white skin, Chariclea; this anomaly was ascribed to the admiration that a picture of Andromeda had excited in Persina throughout the whole of her pregnancy. After one of many Ethiopian battles, Chariclea found a badly wounded but nevertheless divinely handsome young man, whom she helped. During his convalescence both were captured by a robber band. After many adventures, the couple were designated as human sacrifices by King Hydaspes who did not recognize his daughter. Chariclea insisted on returning to Ethiopia, hoping that her mother would recognize her. And this happened. The gods having refused human sacrifice, the couple were finally married and became the priest of the Sun and the priestess of the Moon. Similar watches are preserved in the Louvre, Paris, Inv. No.OA 8318, and in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Inv. No.15.074. The British Museum in London is also in possession of a watch case, now converted into a snuff box, with the same subject, Inv. No. HG774. A very similar watch, now in Patek Philippe Museum, was sold by Antiquorum on November 14, 1993. We gratefully acknowledge the assistance provided by Dr. Hans Boeckh.