Description

Width: 25cm

A genuine French enamelled memorial plaque, diamond-shaped, bearing a black Latin cross and commemorative inscription to M. Liothier Pierre (September 1934) and Gagnaire Marie, épouse Liothier (May 1945).

The plaque is executed in vitreous enamel on metal, with black, white, and grey enamel fields and traditional serif lettering typical of early- to mid-20th-century French funerary production.

Historical context & research
Enamelled grave plaques such as this are a distinctly French and continental European funerary tradition, particularly common from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century.

They were produced using fired vitreous enamel—powdered glass fused to a metal base at high temperatures—resulting in a weather-resistant surface designed to endure decades of outdoor exposure in cemetery environments.

The diamond (lozenge) form was especially popular in rural and provincial France, often mounted directly onto grave markers or stone crosses.

The use of black crosses and restrained colour palettes reflects Catholic funerary conventions of the period. Dual inscriptions such as this example were commonly added over time, recording spouses or family members on a single plaque as burials occurred.

The dates align with significant historical moments:
1934 – interwar France, a period when enamel memorials were widely produced by regional workshops
1945 – the end of the Second World War, after which materials were scarcer and many earlier plaques were reused or adapted, making intact examples increasingly uncommon

The reverse shows heavy oxidation and wear consistent with prolonged outdoor use, further supporting its authenticity as a cemetery-used object rather than a later decorative reproduction.