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Jewellery and Enamelling
About Enamelling
Enamelling is the process of fusing glass to metal by firing in a kiln at high temperature.
The Art of Enamelling has been used since ancient times and flourished worldwide in culturally unique ways, Ancient Greek and Egypt, Celt & Saxons, Byzantine, Limoges France, Russia, China and Japan.
Late 19th to early 20th Century, Arts and Crafts / Art Nouveau and Art Deco Area, enamelling was take large role in the art history by master Enamellists / Jewellers such as René Lalique in France, Carl Faberge in Russia, Louis Comfort Tiffany (Tiffany & Co. ) in America, Yasuyuki Namikawa (並河靖之) in Kyoto and Sousuke Namikawa (濤川惣助) in Tokyo, Japan.
Today, Enamelling techniques continue to carry on by Enamellists of worldwide in traditional and unique modern ways.
Cloisonné Enamelling
Cloisonné (meaning ‘division', ‘cell' in French) Enamelling is the technique creates the design using ribbon like fine wire bent into shape to make divided areas. And then various colours of glass powder like enamel will fill in the cells and then melt and fuse in high heat around 1500F/800C in the kiln. Cloisonné may be one of ancient enamel techniques that developed.
One of oldest cloisonné techniques were found in Ancient Egypt for jewellery. Anglo-Saxon goldsmith made ‘Alfred Jewel' in late 9th Century. In Byzantine times, cloisonné techniques were used for icons and developed in Eastern Roman Empire. Cloisonné technique was introduced to China in 14th Century via Byzantine or Islamic source and highly developed and introduced to Japan in the 19th Century.
Late 19th to early 20th Century, Cloisonné techniques were developed along with other enamelling techniques like plique-à jour and flourished in Arts & Crafts / Art Nouveau and Art Deco Era. Today cloisonné is one of the well-known enamelling techniques.
'Spring Sky / Fall River': 7" X 7" X H 1" (17.5cm X 17.5cm X H 2.5cm)
'Water Dragon & Fire Dragon': 4" X 4" (10cm X10cm)
