Antique jewelry glossary

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Intaglio

See our: intaglio jewelry.

A style of decoration (or an object so made) created by engraving or carving below the surface so that the apparent elevations of the design are hollowed out and an impression from the design yields an image in relief. The background is not cut away, but is left in the plane of the highest areas of the design. It is the opposite of a cameo.

It is sometimes called 'hollow relief or 'coelanaglyphic'. Greek goldsmiths did intaglio work on metal, but such decoration is more often found on gemstones, coral, and crystal. Articles in intaglio were sometimes worn as an ornament alone, or mounted in a finger ring, button, brooch, pendant, etc.

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