Cloisonne refers to a decorative or ornamental enamelwork where delicate thin wires of gold, silver, brass or copper are fused to a metal plate in the form of a design. The resultant cells in the design or cloisonnes are filled with vitreous enamel. Each compartment or colored area is separated by the thin metal wire or a metal strip. The paste form of enamel is then heated to join the enamel to the surface and form permanent coloring. The six Mycenaean rings from the 13th century bear testimony to this fascinating enameling technique known as the cloisonne. This technique of enamel decoration reached its zenith during the Byzantine Empire. Also popular was the Chinese version of cloisonne in the Qing and the Ming dynasties.
The cloisonne is often applied to metal surfaces like jewel boxes and vases. A finished product after adopting the cloisonne technique shows the cloisonne and the enamel bonded perfectly on a smooth surface. The end result glorifies the multi-colored patterns separated by the metal partitions, which avoid the fusing structure to overlap into one another.
The cloisonne is often applied to metal surfaces like jewel boxes and vases. A finished product after adopting the cloisonne technique shows the cloisonne and the enamel bonded perfectly on a smooth surface. The end result glorifies the multi-colored patterns separated by the metal partitions, which avoid the fusing structure to overlap into one another.
