Pair of plates; Possibly Limoges, France, 18th century.

Pair of plates; Possibly Limoges, France, 18th century.
"Charles V and Isabella of Portugal."
Enameled copper.
Measurements. 12 x 9.5 cm (x2); 22 x 19.5 cm (frames, x2).
Pair of commemorative plaques representing Charles V and Isabella of Portugal, who are identified by the legend on their testa. In each of the individual portraits, the main character can be seen depicted bust-length. In the case of Charles V, he is in profile to the viewer, while Isabella is facing the viewer. Both the technique and the style bring these works closer to the Limoges production. Charles I of Spain and V of Germany married Isabella of Portugal in 1526. The marriage originated for reasons of state, but developed into a relationship of love and mutual trust. Isabella was a very capable and respected governor, and Charles deeply regretted her death in 1539.
The Limoges workshop appeared in the last quarter of the 12th century, and continued its activity until the 14th century. It flourished again in the 15th century, with the new technique of painted enamel. It will be the most important enamel workshop, above the Rhineland and Meuse, which disappeared in the 12th century and were dedicated to the production of single plates by order, which were then mounted on an object or joined together to form altar frontals. In Limoges, on the other hand, the production of objects, no longer just plaques, decorated with enamels, was launched, especially for religious but also for secular use. They are cheaper pieces, with copper base, and very showy for the enameled decoration, so they enjoyed a huge and immediate success throughout Europe. Limoges is also mentioned in documents, which indicates that it was a transcendent center known throughout Western Europe. One of the distinctive characteristics of Limoges will be its very shallow bottom dragging, which does not go beyond two or three millimeters. To represent details, such a fine partitioning is used that it can only be distinguished from the excavated one by close observation through a magnifying glass. Taking into account what was done in Rhineland and Meuse, Limoges introduced its own unmistakable features, and in fact the enamels were applied according to the client's taste, filling only the background, only the figures, or both. As for the chromatic range, it uses that of the Meuse workshops, very varied, but adding new colors, such as olive green, a light grayish blue or white for the flesh tones.