plique-à-jour

[pleek-ah-zhoor, plee-ka-zhoor]

Fine Arts.

1. an enameling technique in which unbacked wirework is filled with transparent enamel, resulting in a stained-glass effect.

Word History and Origins

Origin of plique-à-jour¹

1875–80; < French: literally, braid that lets in the daylight

Example Sentences

A gold, aquamarine, diamond, and plique-à-jour enamel dragonfly pendant necklace crafted by Lalique, circa 1903–04, achieved $212,500, more than doubling its high estimate of $100,000.

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Also several triptychs and other old, valuable religious icons and a set of plique-a-jour goblets made for the coronation of Czar Nicholas.

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Their use of plique-à-jour, an enameling technique employed by Munnu Kasliwal and later by his son, Siddharth Kasliwal, serves to enrich the beautifully intricate designs.

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Munnu completed just two pliqué-a-jour pieces in his lifetime: An object box and peacock earrings that are currently on display at Moscow’s Kremlin Museum. Wanting to continue reviving this somewhat forgotten technique, Siddharth took on the challenge.

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Pliqué-a-jour is an enameling technique that requires no backing, so the end result has a stained glass-like appearance.

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