Materials and Techniques in the Decorative Arts: An Illustrated Dictionary - Hardcover

Trench, Lucy Ed.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0719557224 ISBN 13: 9780719557224

Publisher: John Murray, 2000

Synopsis

This dictionary is a single-volume reference book devoted to the materials and techniques used in the decorative arts. In our industrialized society it is often hard to understand craftsmen's techniques. Just how are triple spirals put into the stem of a wine glass, or table tops inlaid with whole landscapes of semi-precious stones? These techniques are fascinating, but so are the materials. Ranging from the exotic to the most basic, they can include the ground bodies of South American insects or rare stones found only in the mountains of Badakshan, but also sand, clay, lime and unsavoury animal products. Until now this information has been passed on from craftsman to craftsman or confined to highly specialized books. Even the better-known terms are often misunderstood, and others remain obscure. With this one dictionary, the subject is now accessible to all, to the art historian or collector who needs to understand how objects are made, but also to any curious reader who is intrigued by the skills that have created the beautiful things around us. The dictionary has been compiled by a team of experts, each with the intimate knowledge of their subject that comes from daily contact with the materials. The contributors have covered glass, ceramics, textiles, paper, plastics, leather, metal, stone, wood and paint, with core entries on each of these subjects and many more that describe terms associated with them. The materials and techniques are explained, accompanied by photographs and drawings that illustrate both the artefacts and the processes that made them.

About this title

From the Inside Flap:

In our industrialized society, it is often difficult to imagine how the objects around us are made. How, for example, are triple spirals put into the stem of a wine glass or table tops inlaid with whole landscapes of semi-precious stones? This unique dictionary is devoted to the fascinating materials and techniques used in the decorative arts. Materials range from the exotic to the most basic, from rare stones found only in the mountains of Badakshan, unsavory animal products, and the ground bodies of South American insects to ones as common as sand, clay, and lime.

Compiled by a team of experts, each with an intimate knowledge of his or her subject, the entries are written in clear, accessible language and supplemented by numerous photographs and drawings. Each core material (glass, ceramics, textiles, paper, plastics, leather, metal, stone, wood, and paint) is covered from its raw state through any processing or preparation to various craft stages and finally, to any surface finishing.

Traditionally, the kind of information found in these pages has been passed on from craftsman to craftsman or confined to highly specialized books, and even common terms are often misunderstood. This dictionary makes the subject accessible to all—from art and architectural historians, curators, collectors, restoration specialists, artists, and museum staff to decorators, aficionados, and those who enjoy watching Antiques Roadshow. In short, this book is for all those who are intrigued by the materials and techniques used to create the beautiful objects that surround us.

About the Author:

Lucy Trench has been a conservator at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the editor of publications for the National Gallery, London, and materials and techniques editor for the Grove 34-volume Dictionary of Art She lives in London.

About this edition

• Publisher: John Murray
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0719557224
• ISBN 13: 9780719557224
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 582