Term for the Day: Jet

A Whitby Jet Bracelet
English, 1870
Fifteen Karat Gold Accents
The Three Graces

The mineraloid, jet (also known as Lignite), is actually a geological material which is composed of compressed, fossilized wood. Jet is usually deep black or a dark brown and can sometimes contain gold-colored flecks of pyrite. Jet is found in two forms—hard and soft. Hard jet is the product of wood that was fossilized in saltwater. Soft jet comes from wood fossilized in fresh water. Jet has been used as a gemstone for about 10,000 years, reaching its peak in mourning jewelry of the Victorian Era in England.

Whitby Jet Victorian Necklace
The Three Graces

Most of the jet used in Victorian jewelry came from Whitby, England and is composed to the remains of Jurassic Era trees dating back 182 million years. A resurgence of popularity for jet jewelry occurred during the 1920’s when long strands of jet beads were created by jewelers. Jet looks similar to onyx. One can tell the difference between the two by rubbing the stone between your fingers. Natural jet will often produce an electrical charge. Jet is a strong and resilient material. Beloved for its subtle luster and attractive dark color, jet is still employed in jewelry making.

Term for the Day: Fan Guards

The long decorative casing which comprises the rigid right side of a hand fan is referred to as the “guard.”  The guard serves to protect the fan when it is folded and provides support when the fan is open.  Usually, the guard is comprised of the same material as the “sticks” (the supports which hold each fold of the fan) and will exhibit a more ornate form of decoration.

Term for the Day: Craquelure

Craquelure is a fine pattern of lines and cracks which forms over time across the surface of a painting.  Antique paintings will always display craquelure.  Being as a natural craquelure is something that’s nearly impossible to duplicate, this pattern of cracks is an excellent way to evaluate the age of a painting and to tell if it is an original or a forgery.  Curiously, patterns of craquelure vary depending on the geographical origin of the painting.  Paintings from France, The Netherlands, Italy, England and the Americas all display a different pattern of craquelure.  A trained art historian can decipher a paintings origin by studying the pattern of these lines.  Climatic conditions, altitude and the composition of suspensions used to hold the pigment can all effect this pattern of cracks.  It’s really a fascinating study.  Craquelure does not effect the value of a painting, but rather adds to it by providing more information about the provenance of the work. 

Term for the Day: Intaglio

Victorian Gold and Amethyst Intaglio Ring
A. Brandt & Son

Intaglio, in terms of jewelry-making is the opposite of cameo.  Where the carving in a cameo is raised in bas relief, intaglio is carved into the surface of the stone.  Rings and watch-fobs often feature hard-stone intaglio.  These items, used primarily by gentleman, were designed so that the piece could be used to make an imprint in sealing wax.  The art of intaglio in gem-work has been employed since the Eighth Century B.C. and is still practiced today albeit for purely decorative purposes.

Term for the Day: Doric Column

The Parthenon

The Doric Order refers to the simplest of the three Greek architectural orders (Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian). A Doric column, as originally designed, had no decorative base wherein the columns shaft sat directly on the ground. The shaft of the column was fluted with twenty fluted grooves and the capital was a simple gently turned ring which affixed directly to the entablature (the horizontal beam) of the structure. An excellent example of the Doric order is the architecture of Athens’ Parthenon.


Over the centuries, Doric columns, while still the simplest form, have evolved to include bases and more decorative capitals. In Renaissance architecture, Doric columns without fluting and slightly more ornate caps became known as “Tuscan” columns. Still employed today when replicating classical architecture, the Doric columns has become a symbol of strength, authority and perseverance.

Term for the Day: Mother-of-Pearl

Mother-of-Pearl, scientifically, is called nacre.  Nacre lines the interior of the shells of certain kinds of mollusks.  This layer of nacre serves to create a smooth surface on the interior of the shell that protects the organism’s soft tissue.  When debris or a foreign object enters the shell, the creature secrets nacre around the object.  The nacre creates a hard, smooth surface around the debris—thus forming a pearl.  So, the term, “Mother-of-Pearl” is quite accurate. 

Mother-of-Pearl can be extracted from shells and has been used for centuries for decorative purposes.  Its iridescent qualities and the variety of colors that it exhibits make it a beautiful material to use for everything from jewelry to furniture.

Term for the Day: Impasto

Sunrise, 1826
Adolphe Monticelli
National Gallery, London

The Italian word meaning “dough” or “mixture” is used in the art world to refer to the heavy use and build up of paint in a painting.  The artist will apply the paint roughly—sometimes even mixing the color on the canvas itself—and will move the pigment around with wide strokes or the use of a palette knife to build thick layers of the medium.  The overall effect of impasto is one of depth and movement.  While impasto is largely seen in contemporary art, it did have its place in classical and traditional painting—employed either as the prominent painting technique in a piece or in conjunction with other, varied brushstrokes. 

Term for the Day: Toile

In the Sixteenth Century, the original word “toile” referred to linen-cloth or canvas, specifically a cloth meant to be painted upon.  Today, we use the word “toile” to refer to what the French would have called, “toile du jouy.”  Toile du jouy is a decorative fabric used as upholstery or drapery which depicts a complex, repetitive scene.  The design is usually comprised of a pastoral scene of people engaged in bucolic activities such as enjoying a picnic in a grove or reveling in a field of flowers. 

Toile often portrays several different scenes joined together by flowers or other natural elements to create a pattern that repeats.  Most toiles render these scenes in a color, such as red, blue, purple or black against a lighter, neutral colored background which is often white, cream or gold, however other variations exist.  Occasionally, the scenes are depicted in solid color outlines which feature other colored details, making the composition seem more like a painting.  While most popular in fabrics, toile designs have also found their way into china and pottery.  The overall effect of toile is one of elegance and refinement which adds a gracefulness to any room. 

Term for the Day: Portrait Lengths

Typically portraits (whether painted or photographed) fall into three categories of length:

1. Head and Shoulders (or bust) portraits show, as you’d guess, the head and shoulders of the subject and, often, his or her crossed arms such as in this antique portrait by Vivien Biett Smith

2. Three Quarter Length portraits show at least three quarters of the subject’s body. This can include compositions in which the subject is seated and a bit of his or her lap is pictures such as the composition of this mid-Nineteenth Century English portrait.

3. A full-length portrait shows the subjects entire body, posed in relation to his or her surroundings. This F.W. Baker portrait is an excellent example of a well-planned full-length composition.

Term for the Day: Provenance

In the art world, the term “provenance” is used to describe the facts about a particular work of art. Provenance includes the country of origin, the artist and the time period of creation. The term also applies to data about who discovered the object, and the object’s history of ownership.

When buying art or artifacts, it’s usually a good idea to get as much information about the provenance as possible. Knowing these details helps you assign a monetary value to the piece as well as allows you to place it historically. Much like living things, antiques and works of art have a history which should be shared and remembered.

Term for the Day: Piercing

Never do a Google search for “piercing furniture.” Just a friendly warning… In terms of the decorative arts, piercing refers to the removal of material through carving with a sharp implement to create a pattern. Piercing is a technique that is employed with a variety of media. Silver and other metals can be pierced to create a pattern. Similarly, wood can be referred to as pierced. The absence of material makes the design.

For example, the crest of this Eastlake pedestal has been pierced. Not only does this give the crest an interesting design in addition to the other carving, it also gives a glimpse of the pedestal’s shaft. Piercing was a popular technique in Victorian design and remains one that is often emulated today.

Term for the Day: Corinthian Columns

Corinthian Columns at
the former home of Dr. Biamenti,
now The Cornstalk Hotel

Today, Julian noted the Corinthian columns at Dr. Biamenti’s New Orleans home. The term “Corinthian” column refers specifically to one of the three classical orders of architecture. The three orders are Doric, Ionic and Corinthian.

The most ornate of the three, Corinthian columns usually have fluted shafts beneath heavily carved capitals. The capitals take the form of an inverted bell, decorated with acanthus leaves, volutes and other ornamentation. Corinthian columns have been employed in architecture, both as support and as decoration, since 2 A.D. Mainly used originally in early Roman architecture, Corinthian columns continue to be employed as stately supports for the most prestigious buildings in the world.

Term for the Day: Cabriole Leg

Representative of Queen Anne and Chippendale Style furnishings, a cabriole leg is composed of two curved sections. The upper curve is convex while the lower curve is concave—almost giving the appearance of an animal sitting on its haunches.

For this reason, many cabriole legs end in a carving made to resemble the paw or claw of an animal. A popular element of furniture design since the Eighteenth Century, the cabriole leg found its way into a variety of home furnishings and still speaks of traditional elegance.

Term for the Day: Repoussé

In metalworking, repoussé (or chasing), refers to a design created in bas relief on a metal surface by manipulating the metal from the reverse side. The result is a pattern or a figure that is visible from the object’s outside surface. This technique can also be referred to as “embossing.” Repoussé was (and is) a popular technique of French and English silversmiths. This process is also employed in jewelry-making as well as sculpture. The most famous repoussé sculpture is most likely the Statue of Liberty—a work of copper repoussé attached to a wooden and metal framework.

Term for the Day: Spindle

In furniture-making parlance, a “spindle” is a wooden shaft which has been decorated either by turning it on a lathe or by hand carving to give it a more pleasing shape.

A spindle can act as decoration or can offer support for a piece of furniture. Often a spindle will act in the same capacity as a column would in architecture, by absorbing the upper weight of the overall design. Other times, a spindle will take the form of chair or table legs. Wooden spindles were often employed as informal candle holders. An integral design element of furniture design from the Seventeenth thought Twentieth Centuries, the spindle will always have its place in the furniture-maker’s arsenal.

Term for the Day: Fluting

Vertical or horizontal, shallow grooves carved into a flat surface are referred to as fluting. Since the earliest days of architecture fluting has been used to decorate columns, pilasters and moldings. Fluting is an integral design element in architecture, furniture design and the decorative arts.

In Victorian architecture, fluted trim often surrounded windows and doors. The fluted pieces were usually capped at the corners by decorative blocks called rosettes. This style of trim is still employed in modern architecture.

Term for the Day: Diadem

"The Diamond Diadem" from The Royal Collection.

Yesterday, while discussing the Parure of the Empress Marie-Louise, I mentioned the term, “diadem.” A diadem is a type of crown, specifically one that fits around the upper forehead like a headband. The term also refers to a jeweled half-crown which is worn over the forehead. These are more commonly called a tiara.


One of the most famous diadems in the world is “The Diamond Diadem” made in 1820 for British King George IV. Since its creation for George IV’s lavish 1821 coronation, this diadem has been worn exclusively by female royals and is one of the most recognizable pieces of the Queen’s collection of jewelry. Designed by master jewelers, Rundell, Bridge and Company, the diadem features 1,333 diamonds, including a four-carat pale yellow brilliant in the center of the front cross. The diamonds, set in gold and accented by pearls for the emblems of the countries in the British Empire: England, Scotland and Ireland. The piece is so well-known, it is even featured on a postage stamp. Today, this diadem is part of the Royal Collection.

Term for the Day: Lamp Harp

A lamp harp is the metal framework which attaches to the base of the lamp and forms an arch over the light bulb and socket to hold the lampshade. Very often, the top of the harp can be adorned with a decorative finial. Selecting the correct size harp for your lamp is very important. If the harp is too large or too small, the shade will not fit properly. This can be visually problematic, but also can place the shade too close to the heat of the light bulb. Most lamps come with harps already, however, if you’re replacing the harp on an existing light, be sure that you select a size that will allow for proper ventilation and placement of the shade.

Term for the Day: Spire

Deriving from the Anglo-Saxon word, “spear,” a spire is a pyramidal or conical embellishment atop a building, often capping a tower or cupola. A mainstay of Gothic architecture, people often associate spires with churches and steeples. The spire, does, after all, reach to the Heavens. However, traditionally, spires also signify a display of material wealth on the part of a church. Spires saw a resurgence in popularity as an architectural ornament during the Victorian era. Today, spires also grace modern structures. In fact, some, like the Space Needle, are simply free-standing spires—still reaching for the Heavens, and still heralding mortal success.

Term for the Day: Millefiori

From the Italian, meaning “a thousand flowers,” the glassmaking technique of millefiori has been employed for centuries, especially by Venetian glassmakers. Glass canes known as murrine are created from layers of multi-colored glass which are heated and stretched until they become long, delicate rods. These rods are then sliced, revealing the pattern within. The resulting beads or disks, when viewed from the top, resemble flowers.

The term millefiori was first used in 1849 by Apsley Pellatt in his book Curiosities of Glass Making. Prior to that, these disks were called “mosaic beads.” Millefiori can be used in clusters to create an infinite amount of designs on an sort of glassware. Their playful shapes and brilliant colors add a liveliness to the glasswork that became the signature of the craftsmen of Venice.