What is damascene?
Damascene is an ancient craft that consists of decorating steel objects with gold and silver designs to obtain creations of great beauty and delicate workmanship. The contrast between the black and shine of the precious metals creates striking pieces full of luxury.
Its exclusivity lies in the fact that it is only made in Toledo (Spain) and in some areas of Japan, making it an authentic art for lovers of craftsmanship.
History
- Many peoples used this technique centuries ago, including the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, as well as communities in China and Japan who used it to decorate their traditional catanas. There are articles more than 1,500 years old.
- Its use in Spain and the rest of Europe reached its peak during the Renaissance and Baroque periods, although it was in the 19th century that it re-emerged and became established in Toledo.
- The term damascene comes from the city of Damascus, in Syria, whose ancient damascene pieces inspired Spanish craftsmen to recover this technique, which has survived to the present day.
- There are historical pieces of great value scattered in museums all over the world, although some collections can be seen in museums as important as the MET in New York or the Victoria & Albert in London.
Designs
- Traditionally, the most commonly used designs are Arabic, as their geometry was used in this technique during their period in the peninsula, and the Renaissance style, with floral and natural decorations due to the popularity of these designs in the 15th and 16th century.
- However, the development of the technique has contributed to create diverse designs such as representations of monuments, paintings, religious motifs and even exclusive personalisations, so there are no limits to this art.
Damascened now
- Today, Manufacturas Anframa has taken our tradition to all corners of the world, being leaders in the sector and providing our damascene products to visitors, companies in our country and international companies from all continents.
- Our pieces are uniquely created by our designers, creating products of great beauty. In addition, our luxury line maintains the artisan finish of the original technique, handmade by a master craftsman.
