Actu - Découvrez la très belle ville de Limoges

Limoges

Staying at Durieux House is also having the opportunity to visit Limoges, the lovely town situated just 10 minutes away by car.

Since the middle of the 12th century Limoges has boldly represented French arts and crafts. Thanks to the creation of master enamellers, it is famous worlwide for the quality of its successive enamel techniques such as the « cut away » and the « cloisonné » followed by painted enamel which appeared in the 15th century.
The latter, enamel painting has established its reputation. It was
appreciated by the Kings of France : Louis XII , François 1st and Henri II who , by commissioning art works, emphasized the artists’ renown, the most famous of these being Léonard Limosin.
From being a decorative art, enamel painting became officially part of the fine arts during the 17th century despite a gradual loss of interest until the Revolution period.

However in the 1830’s the appeal for Medieval art grew stronger again and the productions of the traditional enamel masters became fashionable once more.
Many workshops appeared in Limoges at the end of the 19th century, quite a few artists succeeded in Art Deco and then in Art Nouveau.
Nowadays some creators still renew the enamel art with Contempory art pieces such as paintings or jewellery that you can discover visiting Limoges.
In order to dream about the splendour of the past, the fine art Evêché Museum has pieces on display made by the most prestigious enamel masters from Medieval Times to Now.

Yet when one mentions Limoges one first thinks of porcelain.
Thanks to the porcelain that symbolizes luxury and culinary art, Limoges is famous all over the world and its story is worth telling !
It all begins with the Kaolin :
In the early 18th century a Limousin missionary is sent to China, at the time the only country to produce hard porcelain, in order to investigate the manufacturing of those famous plates that come from the other side of the World. He comes to the conclusion that a fine white powder which the Chinese call « kaolin » is required. The Kaolin is named after the quarry from which it is extracted.
A few years later when the powder is discovered in Saxony and productions imported from Germany at a high cost, Louis XV and Minister Turgot decide it is urgent to create a French manufacturer in Sèvres but without any Kaolin it is impossible !

It is then that at Saint Yrieix la Perche near Limoges, in 1768 Jean-Baptiste Darnet, a local doctor brings attention to the existence of kaolin deposits.
It happenes that his wife was using powder from this flaky rock to do her washing!
The vein of Kaolin is quickly found and the following year numerous quarries open around Saint Yrieix. The most famous of them : Marcognac exploited for 200 years.
Louis XV soon buys all the plots of land and at first the kaolin is sent to Sèvres to produce hard porcelain.
However, in Limousin, forests are full of firewood for the kilns, the river Vienne makes the mills go round and there are many earthenware craftsmen.
In 1771, a bisque medallion is the first porcelain piece to come out of a Limoges manufacture kiln since the Chinese technique has been brought to the West.
The same year Louis XV creates the first Royal manufacturer which will become the Count of Artois Factory, the latter being Louis XI’s brother.

After the French Revolution, François Alluaud brings life back to the porcelain industry and improves the production techniques.
David Haviland arrives from America in 1842 and porcelain starts being exported to the United States and becomes an object of luxury and art. Porcelain enchants the court of Napoleon III and the Parisian Upper Class of the Second Empire, with its more and more refined creations.
The financial gain due to this success allows technical improvements and the opening of the railway makes transportation of materials and production easier

The beginning of the 20th century is marked by the 1905 strikes, the First World War and the Wall Street Crash of 1929 that weaken the porcelain industry.
The 80’s see the beginning of a long lasting crisis due to the Chinese competitive market and the offshoring of most workshops. Numerous manufacturers close down.
Nowadays the porcelain industry has diversified its activities and is busy in different sectors such as technical, medical, and military because the porcelain material has numerous properties.
Only a few of the big industries remain and represent French excellence and luxury all over the World.

Limoges remains undoubtedly the city of porcelain.
Manufactories such as Bernardaud and Haviland, propose guided tours of their factory where you can discover all the different steps of the creation, starting with raw material : pieces of kaolin turned into liquid paste ready to fill the molds and ending with the discovery of the pieces coming straight out of the kilns which in the past were woodburning and are now electric.
You can then see the porcelain being put in different baths to give it its shine and discover the chiselling and the decorating techniques. You can finish the visit with the exhibition of the creations made for the most famous restaurants in the world.
Their shops allow you to see their modern and classic creations. For instance you can find from the most sophisticated and sumptuous tableware embellished with fine gold to the casual everyday tableware. You can also find ornaments, lamps, candle holders and jewellery.

This year 2021 is the 250th anniversary of the first Limousin porcelain production that took place in 1771 and for the occasion it would be very interesting to visit the « Four des Casseaux » Museum where you can see one of the oldest historical kilns of Limoges. You can discover the ancient techniques and creations as well as the working conditions of the past.
Exceptionnal pieces lent by private collectors and contemporary artists’ creations are on display.
Not to be forgotten, the amazing Adrien Dubouché Museum holds the biggest collection of Limoges porcelain in the World !