Texes Art EC-12 Practice Exam

Which enameling technique involves filling areas separated by metal with colored enamel and firing the piece?

1. Champleve

2. Repousse

3. Engraving

4. Lost-wax casting

The correct answer is: Champleve

The enameling technique that involves filling areas separated by metal with colored enamel and firing the piece is Champleve. In this process, artists first carve or etch depressed areas into a metal surface, which are then filled with vitreous enamel. Once the metal piece is heated in a kiln, the enamel melts and bonds with the surface, resulting in a durable and colorful design. Champleve allows for intricate and detailed color patterns due to the defined areas created by the metal, making it distinct from other techniques such as repousse, which focuses more on shaping the metal rather than adding enamel, and engraving, which involves carving designs into the surface of the metal. Lost-wax casting, on the other hand, is a method used for creating metal objects rather than applying enamel. This contributes to the unique characteristics of the Champleve technique, as it combines metalworking and enameling in an effective and visually appealing manner.