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chasing, metalwork technique used to define or refine the forms of a surface design and to bring them to the height of relief required. Chasing is the opposite of embossing, or repoussé, in which the metal is worked from the back to give a higher relief.
What is chasing in silversmithing?
A chaser is a specialist silversmith who has perfected the complimentary skills of chasing and repoussé; the techniques of applying a three-dimensional decorative pattern to the front and back surfaces of a piece of work.
What is chasing in sculpture?
A metalwork technique used to define or refine the forms of a design. The metal is worked from the front by hammering with various tools that raise or depress the metal surface. Chasing is the opposite of repoussé, in which the metal is worked from the back.
What is the difference between repousse and chasing?
Chasing is the art of creating design on metal, from the front side. Repousse´ is the act of pushing the metal up, from the back side. Work can be Chased alone or Repousse´d alone or the two techniques can be used together.
What do you mean by repousse and chasing?
Repoussé (French: [ʁəpuse] ( listen)) or repoussage ([ʁəpusaʒ] ( listen)) is a metalworking technique in which a malleable metal is shaped by hammering from the reverse side to create a design in low relief. Chasing or embossing is a similar technique in which the piece is hammered on the front side, sinking the metal.
What is the process of Chasing?
The metal is worked from the front by hammering with various tools that raise, depress, or push aside the metal without removing any from the surface (except when the term chasing, instead of the more appropriate term chiselling, is used to describe the removal of surplus metal from objects after casting).
What does chased mean in jewelry?
Chasing (from the French chasser, meaning “to chase”) outlines the pushed-forward designs by pushing back around their edges to define them. So chasing and repoussé means you’d hammer a general design onto the back of a piece of metal. Then flip it over, and outline that design from the front.
What is hand chased?
Hand Chasing on silver or metal is the technique of detailing the front surface of a sterling or other metal article with various hammer-struck punches. Your pattern will be flat or indented into the metal..
How do you use chasing and repousse?
Repoussé the metal. Take your repoussé hammer and punches, turn the metal over and hammer within the areas that you have just marked out. Prepare for chasing. Once you’ve repousséd the metal, remove it from the pitch and clean it before chasing. Redraw the design. Use your chasing tools. Finish off the piece.
What means repousse?
(Entry 1 of 2) 1 : shaped or ornamented with patterns in relief made by hammering or pressing on the reverse side —used especially of metal. 2 : formed in relief.
What does repousse mean in metalwork?
repoussé, method of decorating metals in which parts of the design are raised in relief from the back or the inside of the article by means of hammers and punches; definition and detail can then be added from the front by chasing or engraving.
What is repousse in art?
Repousse is a word derived from the French meaning, “driven back”, that is to say, it is a decoration of metal by means of driving back parts of that metal and raising others so that the design stands out in relief. This art reaches back in man’s history to the Assyrians, Phoenicians, and other oriental people.
What is repousse pattern?
REPOUSSE by KIRK. Patented 1828. Repousse by S. Kirk and Son (now, Kirk-Stieff), Baltimore, Maryland, was introduced into America by Samuel Kirk in 1828. This iconic American flatware pattern is handsomely embossed with life-like flowers and foliage that differ from piece to piece.
What is the difference between repousse and embossing?
When an object is embossed, it is decorated using a combination of both the chasing and repoussé technique. Typically, repoussé is first applied to the object to form the basic decorative shapes and patterns and then this decoration is chased to create further, more intricate detail.
What is copper chasing?
Simply put, chasing involves pushing the metal (silver, copper or brass in most cases) and forming it into patterns using punch tools, thereby creating embellishments on a given work.
What does chased mean in medieval times?
Meaning “run after” for any purpose developed mid-14c. Related: Chased; chasing. Ancient European words for “pursue” often also cover “persecute” (Greek dioko, Old English ehtan), and in Middle English chase also meant “to persecute.” Many modern ones often derive from words used primarily for the hunting of animals.
Who invented repousse?
Significantly, the figure is in the proportion and style of Polykleitos, one of the ” inventors ” of repousse, and I see no reason to doubt that it is contemporary with him. ProbablyT Avery early in the history of repousse were produced the two reliefs wrhich were fotund at Olynthos.
What is the difference between chasing and engraving Jewellery?
Engraving is done by removing a narrow fillet of metal with a cutting or graving tool, whereas Chasing is made by depressing the surface with a blunt point and hammering along the line to be delineated, but without removing any material. Chasing is accomplished with a hammer and punches on the face of the metal.
What are chasing tools for?
Traditional chasing & repoussé tool sets are used for embossing metal surfaces from both the front and back to create textures and intricate details.
When was Repoussé invented?
Known today as “Baltimore repoussé,” Samuel Kirk introduced this type of decoration in 1828. It was thoroughly copied soon after, but unlike his competitors, Kirk’s iconic pattern, simply called Repoussé, is still made today under the name Kirk Stieff.
Can you repousse steel?
Many use chisels for engraving steel. Most repousse the metal during hot work, as it is very difficult to do when cold working steel. The concepts are very similar to standard C&R. Some recommend using austenitic stainless steel.
What is a repousse hammer used for?
This repousse hammer (sometimes called a chasing hammer) is a versatile tool for forming and raising shapes from sheet metal. The word ‘repousse’ comes from the French verb meaning ‘to push back’ and it is one of the oldest metalsmithing techniques in the world.
What is a technique of working with sheet metal from behind with punches to raise the pattern which stands in relief on the front?
This relief process, sometimes called modeling, makes full use of the malleability of metal to push and pull it into relief.
