An antique French heart-shaped enamelled metal cemetery plaque (plaque funéraire), bearing the black stencilled inscription "ICI REPOSENT LES GARRIOT-GILLEY" flanked by a decorative central divider and framed above the pious invocation "PRIEZ POUR EUX" ("Here lie the Garriot-Gilley, Pray for them"). Crafted with a raised convex relief edge and pierced with mounting holes along the border, the plaque is finished in traditional white vitreous enamel over pressed steel.

Historical & Style Details

• Subject: French family funerary plaque (plaque funéraire)
• Period: Early 20th Century
• Origin: France
• Material / Technique: Vitreous enamel stencilled on pressed sheet metal
• Markings: Inscribed "ICI REPOSENT LES / GARRIOT-GILLEY / PRIEZ POUR EUX"
• Decorative Details: Heart-shaped convex profile with pierced mounting apertures
• Colour & Surface: White enamel ground with black typography and decorative bar
• Condition: Heavy enamel loss, chipping along borders, oxidation around attachment holes, and surface staining from atmospheric outdoor exposure

History

Heart-shaped enamelled memorial plaques were widely produced in France during the late 19th and early 20th centuries to adorn cemetery crosses, iron railing monuments, and family vaults. Made from weatherproof vitreous enamel fused onto metal, these plaques were designed to withstand the elements while preserving the memory of the deceased and encouraging prayers from passersby.