IMPERTINENTE is a multi-site cultural and artistic event, with a unifying spirit, dedicated to a rare skill, enamel on metal.
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Recognised as part of France's Intangible Cultural Heritage, the art of enamelling is one of the historical pillars of the arts of fire in Limoges, along with porcelain and stained glass.
Nearly 30 years after the last edition of the International Biennial - The Art of Enamel in Limoges, the Syndicat Professionnel des Émailleurs Français (SPEF) wanted to revive an open and stimulating event for the art profession.
Conceived as a sensitive, creative, educational and touristic journey in Limousin, the Impertinente event is intended to be a meeting point for synergies between craft traditions and the most varied artistic practices in order to allow a wide audience to (re)discover the creative and expressive diversity of this art of fire.
12 exhibitions
The Impertinente event offers an interface to living creation through several exhibitions around the themes of arts and crafts, industry, design, contemporary art, photography, art history, comics, etc.
> Discover the exhibitions
Workshops
Essential for a better understanding and immersion in this unique art of fire, demonstration and initiation workshops are offered several times throughout the Impertinente event.
Conferences and visits
Series of conferences (in partnership with AMBAL and renowned curators from the Louvre, Écouen and the Paris Decorative Arts museums) and guided tours (in partnership with the Ville d'art et d'histoire de Limoges and the Tourist Office) will be offered from May to November.
The programme
Main venue for the event
LE GRAND ATELIER
Pavillon du Verdurier
Place St Pierre, 87000 Limoges, France
Every day, 10am - 7pm
Points of sale
(Workshops, tickets for the exhibition "Un Beau Capharnaüm. Emaux et Collection", catalogue and goodies)
The Pavillon du Verdurier and at the Galerie des Hospices - Limoges
No general ticketing
Each site manages its own prices, days and opening hours, independently of the organisers.
Practical information
Restoration
Find a restaurant, do your shopping, treat yourself and don't miss any of the great gourmet events... Limoges and its region can be enjoyed without moderation!
Accommodation
Find a hotel, a bed and breakfast, or a gîte... in short a cosy nest for your weekend or your holidays in Limoges!
Coming to Limoges
By car, train, plane or coach... How to get to Limoges. On foot, by bike, by bus or by trolley... How to get around once you arrive.
Enamel is a generic term defining several techniques whose particularity is to use fire to fix a crystal-like vitreous material based on silica, combined with alkaline components (soda or potash) and lead on a metallic support. After melting at high temperature and grinding, a colourless powder called "flux" is obtained. The latter is coloured by adding metallic oxides: manganese for yellow; copper for blue to green and even red; cobalt for blue, grey or mauve...
The art of the enameller consists in fixing this enamel powder on a metal support by short successive firings, of the order of 800 degrees. These multiple firings are imposed by the fact that all colours do not fire at the same temperatures.
Although enamel work has been known since Antiquity, artists have used several techniques depending on the time and place. Cloisonne enamel, champlevé enamel, painted enamel, low-cut enamels, plique enamels.
Limoges is one of the most remarkable centres in the world for the history of this art of fire and metal.
What is enamel?
