A technique for transferring a design by dusting powdered charcoal or pigment through perforated holes in a pattern or cartoon onto the surface below.
From Old French poncer, meaning 'to prick' or 'to puncture,' related to pounce (a fine powder). The technique involves 'pouncing' or dabbing the powder through the holes.
Pouncing was the Renaissance equivalent of carbon paper! Master artists jealously guarded their cartoon patterns, using them repeatedly for commissions—you can often spot the same face or hand gesture 'pounced' across multiple works by the same workshop, creating a signature style.
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