The art of cloisonne enamel (cargo. Minankari) has been known since ancient times. Enamel is a mixture of metals, molten glass and various natural dyes (Georgian craftsmen use only natural dyes, which guarantees the durability and brightness of colors). The basis for the products is gold, silver and alloys of various metals. Cloisonne enamel artifacts are found everywhere: in the excavations of ancient Egypt (gold items were covered with enamel), in China, where gold items were covered with precious stones and enamel, in ancient Rome, items made of bronze were enameled. In Europe, cloisonne enamel has been known since the 11th century A.D. It is believed that for the first time cloisonne enamel appeared in Cyprus in the 10th century BC. and was a fairly primitive technique. In the 12th century AD, cloisonne enamel art reached Georgia, then one of the provinces of Byzantium, where there was a huge qualitative growth in manufacturing technology. Initially, objects of a religious cult, such as crosses, icons, ritual dishes, were created using the Minankari technique, and only after some time began to make jewelry. The heyday of enamel art came in the Middle Ages, already at that time masters from Georgia were making their own unique style and coloring, which can be observed today. What is the art of cloisonne enamel? You can get the answer to this question below. The heyday of enamel art came in the Middle Ages, already at that time masters from Georgia were making their own unique style and coloring, which can be observed today. What is the art of cloisonne enamel? You can get the answer to this question below. The heyday of enamel art came in the Middle Ages, already at that time masters from Georgia were making their own unique style and coloring, which can be observed today. What is the art of cloisonne enamel? You can get the answer to this question below.
Initially, the technology for the manufacture of cloisonne enamel can be divided into two main types – cold and hot. The technique of cold enamel is used mainly in China in mass production, so it does not represent any special artistic and jewelry value, in other words, it is stamping, so we will not go into the details of its manufacture in this article. Creating a hot cloisonne enamel involves only painstaking manual work using a variety of special tools and jewelry techniques. Hot cloisonne enamel can also be divided into two main areas: engraving and art.
Products using engraving technology are performed as follows: a pattern of the future jewelry is engraved on a metal base (gold or silver), after which the enamel melt is filled in such thin layers that a cut pattern is visible through them, then the almost finished product is burned in a special furnace and It is polished by several types of abrasive.
It is still more complicated with artistic technique: the base of metal (gold or silver) is covered with a primary layer of enamel, on which the thinnest partitions of the same metal are exposed as the base (gold or silver), then the gaps between the partitions are filled with enamel powders of the corresponding colors, after Why the product is sent for firing. Then follows the painstaking process of descaling using abrasives and acid solutions, those areas of the product where the enamel has sagged or not spilled are filled again and the process is repeated until the enamel lies flat with the partitions. At the final stage, the product is ground and heated to smooth the top layer, and then polished to a shine.
As you already understood, to create products from hot cloisonne enamel, the master requires not only patience and attention to details, but also the artist’s incredible skill, since it is impossible to create such masterpieces without the ability to draw well.
GEORGIAN ENAMEL