Fire/Works: Enamel Art through the Centuries Through Autumn 2021
Swiss, Window Panel, 19th century, glass and painted enamel with lead caming, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, gift of the Houston Art League, the George M. Dickson Bequest.
Andrée Fauré, Vase, c. 1925, enamel, copper, and gold foil, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by the Museum Collectors.
Byzantine, Pantocrator Pendant, 527–1056, gold, cloisonné enamel, emerald, and pearl, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, gift of Miss Annette Finnigan.
Workmaster Carl Blank, Cigarette Case, c. 1900, gold, guilloché enamel, diamonds, and jewels, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Rienzi Collection, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harris Masterson III.
Unknown English, Set of Gaming Trays (detail), c. 1770, painted enamel on copper, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Rienzi Collection, gift of Cecily E. Horton.
Unknown English, Set of Gaming Trays, c. 1770, painted enamel on copper, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Rienzi Collection, gift of Cecily E. Horton.
The process of enameling has captivated artists and collectors for 1,000 years. Fire/Works: Enamel Art through the Centuries, an exhibition featuring objects from the MFAH collections, showcases the use of enamel across time and continents.
Enamel is a form of glass that is mixed with metallic oxides for color and applied to a metal or glass base through the act of firing at high temperatures. The medium can emulate the hues of precious stones, create a smooth glaze over three-dimensional forms, and produce detailed designs.
Enamel types have evolved over the centuries. The champlevé technique fills depressions carved into the ground with enamel; cloisonné involves filling cells attached to the ground with enamel; plique-à-jour filters light like small stained-glass windows; and guilloché features an engraved ground overlaid with layers of colored enamel.
Originating in antiquity, enameling flourished in Byzantium during the medieval period. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the French town of Limoges became a major producer of enamel that remained fashionable into the early 18th century. Renowned Russian jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé revived enamel techniques in the late 19th century, and in the 20th century, industry used enamel for its durability. Present-day studio enamellers continue to experiment and expand on historical methods.
Fire/Works: Enamel Art through the Centuries | December 5, 2020–Autumn 2021
• Included with general admission. Advance timed tickets recommended.
This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.