Photos of the Beautiful Medieval Limoges Enamel Antiquities

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Photos of the Beautiful Medieval Limoges Enamel Reliquaries, Caskets & Artefacts from the Museums of Europe . Photos by Photographer Paul E Williams. (TIP – use the icons below the slideshow for thumbnail photos and info)

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Photos of the Beautiful Medieval Limoge Enamel Antiquities, Caskets & Artefacts

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Photos of Limoges Enamel Abntiquities, Reliquaries, Caskets & Artefacts.

Medieval Limoges Enamel Production

In Limoges from the 12th century to 1370 there was a large industry producing metal objects decorated in enamel using the champlevé technique, of which most an estimated 7,500 piece have survived. Most of the original Limoges Enamels production were religious objects such as reliquaries.

In the Middle Ages Limoges was the largest and most famous producer of Enamel artefacts.

Limoges Champlevé Enamelling Technique

Champlevé is an enamelling technique in which incised lines or incised cells are carved into the surface of copper and sometimes silver or gold. These depressions in the metal were filled with vitreous enamel which is made from powdered glass. The piece is then fired until the enamel fuses to the copper metal. When cooled the surface of the object is polished. The un enamelled portions of the artefacts surface remain visible as a frame of bright metal around the enamel designs.

Limoges Enamel Caskets & Reliquaries

Limoges Enamel caskets took up the largest part of production throughout the period. There were many other types of objects made in Limoges enamel and those made for church use have had a better chance of surviving.

Saint Thomas Beckett Reliquaries

Popular subjects that appear in Limoges enamel rather more often than in other religious art of the period include the life of Saint Valerie of Limoges, a local heroine, as well as the martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket, whose cult was vigorously promoted by the church after his death. Some of the including the Limoges Thomas Becket Reliquaries were sold with pieces of his clothes soaked in his diluted blood.