Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-11-21
THE ENAMELLING ART.
One OF the Oldest in the World--Works %
Leonard Limousin.

Leonard Limousin.
London Telegraph
The Renaissance cnaincls of Limoges in
general, and of Leonard LimOusin in par
tiJular, must. although during many gen
crations they suffered under Il curious de.
probation in price. continue to be precious
and eagerly sought for for the simple rca-
son that "grandes pieces Of this wonder
fully beautiful ware are exceedingly
scarce, ana that it was precisely in 1853
that his rare talent reached its acme
Enameling is one of the oldest arts ia the
world but that which may be termed
painters enamel. or cnamcls executed on
n single surface, nstc;'i of the incised sur
faces, is Il distinct outcome Of the Rrnais-
sance, and was provoked by the desire to
POSSESS impcrishable reproductions for dec
Orative purposes of the great works of art
which had been painted in Italy by Leonar-
do da Ninci. by Raflaclle and their sue
ecssOrs. Line movement began in the
first years of the sixteenth century
among the first promoters of the new pro-
cess was Il glass painter 81 Limoges named
. NardOn PcnlCHud, one OF whose master
pieces. executed for the poet King Rene
of TaudCmUnt and Lorraine, and dated
/ 1903, is now inthc Cluuy Museum i'm Paris.
In 1872 Francis !. of France, who with all
his faults, was a. magnificent a patron of
the arts as our Charles l., aftcrWard cats
! ed to be established Il manufacture of
/ enamcls at Limoges. the dircCuOu OF
which lie intrustcd to Leonard, called lie
/ IimOusin' or "Iimosin.' This artist,
by express directions from his royal mas
ter, procured from italy accurate copies
Of the best works of Ratfrllc, Giuliu Bo-
manO and PinnatiCCiO, and ne also had
| recourse to the great draughtsman and
sculptor OF the French Renaissance, Jean
| Cousin. The earlier works of LIE LimOu.
sin had been medieval and almost Byzan-
tine in style, but the contemplation Of the
Renaissance models sent him from Italy
led tim to initiate the purer and more cor
rect forms of revived Greek art. His
mode of treatment was essentially his own,
The general effect OF his work was bril-
liant light and harmonious, relieved and
cheered by bright sky, blue tints and tur
quOiS blue, sparkling on a shining ground.
He was specially distinguishable by a
/ bright yellow which ne introduced into
the hair of his personages and by pink
and limpid flesh tintS which added to the
feeling of delighted surprise excited by
his enamels the effect of which has been
compared To the chanelUn-like brilliancy
of Shot satin. No one knew 50 well as he
how to make touches Of gold with which
to brighten the effect Of his medalliOns on
Il black ground. During his years of ac-
tive life his pruductiNencss was aatOnish-
iug, but his latter cuamclS, which come
down to 1914, show the marks OF an aged
and failing hand. Yet, Notwithstanding
the multitude OF dishes. vases, eWers, COB
lets. portraits and plaques in Cri,saile,
cups and bowls, signed 10y his Wcll-knOWn
monogram of -. H.. sometimes accom-
panied 10y a ieur dcdy~. the more import
e. tant pieces OF The l.mou~in' soon grew
rare. Many of HIS works have mystic
riOuSly disappeared. \ large proportion
Ot these \1IIShpi ,4UIInt4l- all DrnlD-