PLATE KNIGHTS

A new exhibition at Paris's Galerie Kugel unpacks the enduring appeal of Limoges enamel.

- By CAMILLE OKHIO

Our story begins in the town of Limoges, where, in the Middle Ages, several families began making enamel-coated vessels. The central French town was on the road to Spain and Italy, which supplied Limoges with raw materials—copper and glass—and clients, initially in the form of the Catholic Church. The Hundred Years War and several bouts of bubonic plague interrupted production, but in the early 16th century Limoges enamel was revived. Now, after 10 years of research, the Paris-based Galerie Kugel has collected more than 70 Renaissance-era Limoges enamels in an exhibition called "Immarcescible," which runs through December 20.