A metalworking technique where designs are hammered into metal from the reverse side, creating raised relief decoration on the front surface. Often combined with chasing to refine details from the front.
From French 'repoussé,' past participle of 'repousser' meaning 'to push back' or 'push out.' The term perfectly describes the technique of pushing metal outward from behind to create raised designs on the visible surface.
The ancient Greeks used repoussé to create some of history's most spectacular goldwork, including funeral masks and ceremonial armor that gleamed like the sun! The technique allows metalworkers to create incredibly detailed sculptural effects in thin sheets of precious metal, making a little gold go a very long way.
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