PENICAUD FAMILY

French enamelers active in Limoges during the 16th century, considered to be among the finest such craftsmen of their time. They were noted for their work in grisaille enamel, monochromatically painted enamel work intended to look like sculpture. Nardon Pnicaud (c. 1470c. 1542), the first recorded member of the family, worked in the French Gothic style, but his brother or son, Jean I (fl. 151040), introduced motifs characteristic of the Italian Renaissance. Jean I was also the first enameler to frequently apply transparent enamel colours on copper. The existence of two other members of the Pnicaud family also named Jean is disputed, although Jean II has been often cited as an important master of the grisaille technique. The last prominent enamelist of the family, Pierre, is considered a mediocre artist.