Memoirs of Goldsmiths. Goldsmithing, a listed Historic Monument in the churches of Languedoc-Roussillon.
Somogy| N° d'inventaire | 15402 |
| Format | 22 x 28 |
| Détails | 352 p., 580 illustrations, paperback with flaps. |
| Publication | Paris, 2011 |
| Etat | Nine |
| ISBN | 9782757204740 |
The city of Montpellier played a leading role in the history of national goldsmithing. Its well-known guild of silversmiths dates back to the 12th century and was the first to use the city hallmark, a procedure adopted by Paris two centuries later. French goldsmith treasures owe their great vulnerability and preciousness to their role as monetary reserves. It is only since 1913, when they were granted the status of National Treasures, that they have been protected from recasting and thus safeguarded. These works are eminently symbolic. They bear witness to manufacturing processes, jealously passed down from one generation to the next, sometimes since the Middle Ages, and which can be of unsuspected refinement. Silversmiths of the Middle Ages, master goldsmiths of the Ancien Régime, manufacturers, and merchants have competed since the dawn of time to produce the most unexpected works. Goldsmith pieces are also historical clues: they attest to liturgical events and rituals, the identity of their sponsors and many other facts.
The city of Montpellier played a leading role in the history of national goldsmithing. Its well-known guild of silversmiths dates back to the 12th century and was the first to use the city hallmark, a procedure adopted by Paris two centuries later. French goldsmith treasures owe their great vulnerability and preciousness to their role as monetary reserves. It is only since 1913, when they were granted the status of National Treasures, that they have been protected from recasting and thus safeguarded. These works are eminently symbolic. They bear witness to manufacturing processes, jealously passed down from one generation to the next, sometimes since the Middle Ages, and which can be of unsuspected refinement. Silversmiths of the Middle Ages, master goldsmiths of the Ancien Régime, manufacturers, and merchants have competed since the dawn of time to produce the most unexpected works. Goldsmith pieces are also historical clues: they attest to liturgical events and rituals, the identity of their sponsors and many other facts.