Enamel

Hard substance, made up of microscopic hexagonal prisms with intervening spaces, which covers the crown of a tooth. Enamel. Practice of fusing vitrified substances for color decoration on metal; credited to Egypt, where the art was practiced in great perfection. Fine specimens were found at Mycenæ by Dr. Schliemann, certainly of Egyptian export or made under Egyptian influence. In the Oriental world, in the Byzantine Empire, and in the Mediæval period, the art was extensively practiced. At present it is best understood in Japan. Here the Cloisonné method prevails; this lays down a pattern in fine wire, which is soldered to the metal (generally copper) surface. The various colors, in powdered vitreous substances, are then distributed and subsequently fused. Champlevé enamel was much employed in the Middle Ages, especially at Limoges. The figures and designs are cut out of the metal, leaving raised partitions, to avoid the mixing of the different colors when fused. Painting in enamel on enamel ground over metal was practiced by the later Limoges School from ab. 1400. Translucent enamel over Celadon jar, Cloisonné. low metal relief was practiced in the Italian Renai ance. The enameling of terra cotta reliefs was brought to perfection by the Robbia family in Italy, 15th century. The art of enameling tiles and terra cotta is also of high antiquity, and traceable to Egypt and Chaldea. It was practiced with rare succe by the A yrians, Persians, and Arabs.