Toreutics

Ewer from the Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós (Height 23 cm, weight 733 g.)^[1]

Toreutics is the art of working metal,^[2]^[3] by hammering gold or silver (or other materials), engraving, embossing and chasing to form minute detailed reliefs or small engraved patterns.^[4] Toreutics can include metal-engraving - forward-pressure linear metal removal with a burin.^[5]

Archeological background

Toreutics claims great antiquity.^[6] It was practised in the Bronze Age and was well established centuries before the shaft graves.^[7] Toreutics flourished to an unusual degree among the peoples of Asia Minor, Assyria, Babylon, and passed from thence to ancient Persia.^[8] One spectacular example of the direct influence of Persia in toreutics is believed to be the Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós found in Transylvania in 1799, and considered to be work of Old Bulgarian^[9] gold smiths. It consists of 23 vessels and has been attributed to Attila's Huns,^[10] the Avars^[11] and Pechenegs. The majority of scholars however, consider it Bulgarian (Proto-Bulgarians,^[12] Bulgars), because of its runic inscriptions.^[13]

Etymology

Toreutics comes from Greek -toreutikos^[14]: of metal work; from toreutos: worked in relief; from toreuein^[15]; to work in relief; from toreus: a boring tool, Proto-Indo-European *terə-. The art of working metal or other materials by the use of embossing and chasing to form minute detailed reliefs. The origin of 'toreutics' goes back to 1830–40; < Gk toreutikós, equiv. to toreú(ein) to bore, chase, emboss (v. deriv. of toreús graving tool) -tikos.

Applications

Persian-Sassanid^[16] style (Fig.1), Christian toreutics^[17] (Fig.2, 3), Folk craftsmanship (Fig. 4), Bulgaria
Beaten copper^[18] (Tibet), Fig. 4, 5, 6
Tsuba gold toreutics (1860) Mito school.

Figure 1. Toreutics on golden jug, Mogilan Mound, Vratsa, 4th century BC.

Figure 1. Toreutics on golden jug, Mogilan Mound, Vratsa, 4th century BC.
Figure 2. Toreutics on a liturgical book casing with Cyrillic inscriptions, 17th century.

Figure 2. Toreutics on a liturgical book casing with Cyrillic inscriptions, 17th century.
Figure 3. Toreutics on plate from Chiprovtsi (Bulgaria), 18th century.

Figure 3. Toreutics on plate from Chiprovtsi (Bulgaria), 18th century.
Figure 4. Toreutics on belt buckle, Plovdiv, (Bulgaria), 19th century.

Figure 4. Toreutics on belt buckle, Plovdiv, (Bulgaria), 19th century.
Figure 3. Toreutics on the roof of Potala Palace (dragon head corner).

Figure 3. Toreutics on the roof of Potala Palace (dragon head corner).
Figure 4. Dhvaja on the roof of Sanga Monastery.

Figure 4. Dhvaja on the roof of Sanga Monastery.
Figure 5. Praying weels in Tsozong Gongba Monastery.

Figure 5. Praying weels in Tsozong Gongba Monastery.
Tsuba gold low-relief toreutics signed by Moritoshi (1834-1896), Dated, 1860. Mito school. Alfred Baur Cat. D1145.

Tsuba gold low-relief toreutics signed by Moritoshi (1834-1896), Dated, 1860. Mito school. Alfred Baur Cat. D1145.

References

^ "Kells Portraits and Eastern Ornament" by Harold Picton in The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs, Vol. 73, No. 426 (Sep., 1938), pp. 121-123.
^ Aesthetics: Lectures on Fine Art Volume II (Aesthetics) by G. W. F. Hegel and T. M. Knox (1998) p.161
^ How to Understand Sculpture by Margaret Thomas, Kessinger Publishing, 2005, p.25
^ Hutchinson Encyclopaedia. Helicon Publishing LTD 2007
^ Jewelry Concepts & Technology by Oppi Untracht (1982) p.283
^ How to Understand Sculpture by Margaret Thomas, Kessinger Publishing, 2005, p.25-6
^ Social Transformations in Archaeology: Global and Local Perspectives (Material Cultures) by Kri Kristiansen (1998) p.135
^ The Cambridge History of Iran by I. Gershevitch (1985) p.154
^ A Short History of Modern Bulgaria by R.J. Crampton, Cambridge University Press, 1987
^ The Empire of the Steppes, a History of Central Asia by Rene Grousset (transl. by Naomi Walford), Rutgers University Press, 2005, p.25
^ Warriors of the Steppe by Erik Hildinger, De Capo Press, 1997, pp. 57-92
^ Bulgaria - Land of Ancient Civilizations by Dimiter Dimitrov, Foreign Language Press, Sofia 1961, p.33
^ Bulgarian's Treasures from the Past by Ivan Venedikov, Sava Boyadjiev and Dimiter Kartalev, Foreign Languages Press, Sofia 1965, pp. 345-55.
^ Sculpture: Some Observations on Shape and Form from Pygmalion's Creative Dream by Johann Gottfried Herder and Jason Gaiger (2002)
^ Conspiracy of Catiline and the Jurgurthine War by Sallust (2004/6) p.62/72
^ Athens and Persia in the Fifth Century BC: A Study in Cultural Receptivity by Margaret C. Miller (2004) p.59
^ The history of the origins of Christianity: Volume 3 by Ernest Renan (2007) p.95
^ Antique Brass & Copper Identification & Value Guide by Mary Frank Gaston (1991) p.19

[1] "Kells Portraits and Eastern Ornament" by Harold Picton in The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs, Vol. 73, No. 426 (Sep., 1938), pp. 121-123.

[2] Aesthetics: Lectures on Fine Art Volume II (Aesthetics) by G. W. F. Hegel and T. M. Knox (1998) p.161

[3] How to Understand Sculpture by Margaret Thomas, Kessinger Publishing, 2005, p.25

[4] Hutchinson Encyclopaedia. Helicon Publishing LTD 2007

[5] Jewelry Concepts & Technology by Oppi Untracht (1982) p.283

[6] How to Understand Sculpture by Margaret Thomas, Kessinger Publishing, 2005, p.25-6

[7] Social Transformations in Archaeology: Global and Local Perspectives (Material Cultures) by Kri Kristiansen (1998) p.135

[8] The Cambridge History of Iran by I. Gershevitch (1985) p.154

[9] A Short History of Modern Bulgaria by R.J. Crampton, Cambridge University Press, 1987

[10] The Empire of the Steppes, a History of Central Asia by Rene Grousset (transl. by Naomi Walford), Rutgers University Press, 2005, p.25

[11] Warriors of the Steppe by Erik Hildinger, De Capo Press, 1997, pp. 57-92

[12] Bulgaria - Land of Ancient Civilizations by Dimiter Dimitrov, Foreign Language Press, Sofia 1961, p.33

[13] Bulgarian's Treasures from the Past by Ivan Venedikov, Sava Boyadjiev and Dimiter Kartalev, Foreign Languages Press, Sofia 1965, pp. 345-55.

[14] Sculpture: Some Observations on Shape and Form from Pygmalion's Creative Dream by Johann Gottfried Herder and Jason Gaiger (2002)

[15] Conspiracy of Catiline and the Jurgurthine War by Sallust (2004/6) p.62/72

[16] Athens and Persia in the Fifth Century BC: A Study in Cultural Receptivity by Margaret C. Miller (2004) p.59

[17] The history of the origins of Christianity: Volume 3 by Ernest Renan (2007) p.95

[18] Antique Brass & Copper Identification & Value Guide by Mary Frank Gaston (1991) p.19

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Archeological background

Etymology

Applications

See also

References