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inlay

inlay

See figs. 309, 340, 342, 343, 345, 346, 349, 351, 365.

Decorative element on a sculpture usually added for visual contrast through color and/or texture. The top surface of an inlay is generally flush with the surrounding metal. A wide range of attachment methods may be used, including solder, adhesives, cements, burrs, undercuts, and/or rivets, but the basic technique involves shaping the inlay and incising the ground metal to produce a cavity of the inlay shape. Inlay materials may include metals, glass, stone, or bone, among others.

Note: The terms “inlay” and “” are often used indiscriminately, but they differ in one main regard: inlays are inserted into the bronze surface, whereas overlays are set on top of the surface.

Figure 309
Figure 340
Figure 342
Figure 343
Figure 345
Figure 346
Figure 349
Figure 351
Figure 365

Sources

Cultural Heritage:

Art and Craft Textbook:

General Dictionary: https:​/​/​www​.merriam​-webster​.com​/dictionary​/inlay

To Be Distinguished From

  • encrustation

  • foil

  • incrustation

  • overlay

Synonyms

  • damascene

    This term is often used interchangeably to describe inlays and/or overlays, especially in iron or steel arms and armor and decorative metalwork. As the term is imprecise and more applicable to those types of materials, we recommend it not be used in the context of bronze casting. The term “false damascening” is somewhat of a misnomer, as it is a different technique that renders a similar visual result: instead of cutting recesses, the metal is superficially scored and thin metal foil or wire is hammered onto the surface. Since this joint may be weak, the surface is heated to further fuse the two metals. Visually the two techniques appear similar.

    Source: Art and Craft Textbook:

  • incrustation

Translations

French: incrustation

Élément décoratif inséré dans la surface d’un bronze ou formant relief, fait d’un matériau différent du substrat en bronze pour un effet polychromatique. Une grande variété de matériaux et de techniques peut être mise en œuvre.

Note: il n’existe aucun terme français pour distinguer précisément un élément inséré dans la surface du bronze (« inlay » en anglais) d’un élément formant relief («  »). Le japonais, au contraire, offre un vocabulaire très riche et très spécifique.

To Be Distinguished From

  • damassé

    Acier forgé par pliages successifs pour faire apparaître un décor.

Alternate Translation

  • damasquinure

    Pour certains auteurs (, 162), désigne une sous-catégorie d’incrustations, en l’occurrence l’incrustation d’un métal sur un autre [on parle aussi de damasquinage pour décrire le procédé (, 162–63; , 661). Pour d’autres auteurs, la damasquinure ne concerne que les incrustations d’or ou d’argent sur un objet en fer ou acier, typiquement une arme ou une armure (, 460). Il est suggéré d’éviter d’employer ce terme pour la sculpture en bronze, on lui préférera « incrustation métallique ».

    Sources: Cultural Heritage: , 162–63; Historical: , 460

German: Einlage

In principle more general (actually a direct translation of “inlay”).

Source

, 1013–16

Alternate Translation

  • Tauschierung

    Only if the inlay is of linear character, e.g. wires; you wouldn’t speak of a Tauschierung in the case of inlaid silver eyes.

    Source: , 63

Italian: agemina

A decorative process usually performed on steel and copper alloys, with thin silver wires in an undercut groove on the surface.

Source

, under agemina

Alternate Translations

  • damaschinatura

    More specifically referring to inlaid decoration on bronze, brass, or iron with contrasting colored metals

  • inserto

  • intarsio

    General term referring to the insertion of different materials on a decorated surface

    Sources: , under intarsio; , under intarsio [vol. 8, 169]

  • lavori di tanccia

    As in “Damascho fanno gli azzimini che commetteno in quei loro vasi pezzetti d’oro…”; see , 373; note that translators Smith and Gnudi assume this is a misprint.

    Source: , fol. 138

Chinese: 镶嵌

Sources

, 1554; TNATD