known enameled pieces have been dated to the 13th century BC,
when Mycenaean goldsmiths inlaid enamels into gold rings. Since
then, cultures all over the world have incorporated enameling
into their art forms. In the 5th century BC, Greek artisans used
enamel to decorate artwork such as the Phidias statues of Zeus.
In the 9th through 11th centuries AD, gold cloisonné was
popularized in the Byzantine Empire. In Germany, enameling was
introduced by a Byzantine princess, Theophano, who married the
German King Otto 11, and then brought craftsmen with her from
her native land. Thus German enamels were heavily influenced by
these Byzantine roots. In Western Europe in the 12th century,
champlevé religious objects were produced. And Renaissance
goldsmiths, like Cellini, created beautiful enameled pieces in
basse taille and plique a jour. A revolution in enameling
occurred in the late 15th century when the family of Pénicaud
innovated a new method of "Painting" with enamels. As this was
developed in the French town of