Plique A Jour

This glossary entry has not yet been updated and is under review.

Pliqué á jour (French). A technique of decoration in enameliing by which the design is outlined in metal and filled in with variously coloured transparent enamels but with no backing behind theenamel, so that the effect is similar to that of a stained-glass window. One process involved mixing a flux into the enamel so that it would have sufficient consistency not to run, but more often anopenwork metal mount was attached to a sheet of copper foil, the enamel was filled in and allowed to harden, and the copper was dissolved by dipping the piece in acid, leaving only the mount and theenamel.The work in jewelry was usually executed in a gold setting, but the technique has also been used with pierced porcelain. The method was discovered in the 15th century and used by Benvenuto Celliniand others during the Renaissance, and was reintroduced in France, c. 1900. The German term is Fensteremail (window enamel).

Explanation on plique a jour by Adin antique jewelry
Adin Academy

Plique A Jour

No items found.

Pliqué á jour (French). A technique of decoration in enameliing by which the design is outlined in metal and filled in with variously coloured transparent enamels but with no backing behind theenamel, so that the effect is similar to that of a stained-glass window. One process involved mixing a flux into the enamel so that it would have sufficient consistency not to run, but more often anopenwork metal mount was attached to a sheet of copper foil, the enamel was filled in and allowed to harden, and the copper was dissolved by dipping the piece in acid, leaving only the mount and theenamel.The work in jewelry was usually executed in a gold setting, but the technique has also been used with pierced porcelain. The method was discovered in the 15th century and used by Benvenuto Celliniand others during the Renaissance, and was reintroduced in France, c. 1900. The German term is Fensteremail (window enamel).

Also known as:

References

From: An Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry, autor: Harold Newman, publishers: Thames and Hudson