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During the Middle Ages, the Abbey of Saint-Martial was a famous stopping place on the pilgrimage route to Compostela. Strong demand for religious souvenirs and the worship of relics contributed to the development of arts and crafts, with the goldsmith’s art followed by copper champlevé enamel. The large-scale production of Limousin enamel spread throughout the entire Christian western world.

The Renaissance saw the arrival of painted enamel, grisaille, and the emergence of secular themes with a predilection for Greek and Roman Antiquity. Workshops were run by owners who left their signature on their work and built up veritable enamel dynasties. Léonard Limosin and Pierre Reymond are just two of the most famous.

After something of an eclipse for many long years, enamel experienced a revival during the 19th century. Léon Jouhaud and the Art Deco movement contributed to the upturn in its popularity.

In the post-war years, enamelers from across the world gathered in Limoges every other year between 1972 and 1994 for the Bienniale de l’Email created by Georges Magadoux, famous for his blue enamel creations giving pride of place to contemporary art. Today, despite the ups and downs of any traditional arts and crafts profession, the Limoges enamel producers are still putting all their passion into their enamel.

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