Mirror Wood and Repoussé Brass, Louis XIV Style, Period: Second Half 19th

Period: Second half of the 19th century.
Style: Louis XIV.
Dimensions: height: 83 cm x width: 53 cm x depth: 2 cm.

The repoussé is a metalworking process which consists of hammering back a plate of iron, gold, silver, copper, brass etc., placed on a resistant mastic.

There are two repoussé:
– the repoussé on top, where the face of the metal is worked by pushing the hollows inwards
– the repoussé below or real repoussé, where the reverse side of the metal is worked by pushing the reliefs outwards
The metal plate is applied to the previously cast bronze object.

In antiquity, repoussé took the name of “sphyrelaton” or hammer work.
This technique was commonly used by Roman goldsmiths. The emblema were also obtained by this process.

Repoussé was also used in the Middle Ages. In the 16th century, the recingle or ressing appeared.
The recingle is a kind of small light anvil, one of the points of which extends and curves.

The latter is introduced into the hollow of the object to be decorated with reliefs.

The hammer blows struck on the recingle between the point where it is fixed and the end of its extension produce jumps, counter-blows which work and push the metal from within at the given place.