teinture d'or ou d'argent

English translation: its gold or silver reflective surface

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:teinture d'or ou d'argent
English translation:its gold or silver reflective surface
Entered by: Yolanda Broad

23:45 Aug 9, 2017
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Archaeology / ancient art
French term or phrase: teinture d'or ou d'argent
Hi again!
DOC: 1907 Museum catalog of ancient Egyptian mirrors.
CONTEXT: Le miroir ayant conservé son pouvoir réfléchissant, on peut s'assurer que le résultat obtenu est satisfaisant; car on aperçoit son visage sensiblement réduit avec un minimum de déformation qui choquait les Égyptiens beaucoup moins que nous. Au reste, pour porter un jugement définitif sur la valeur réelle de ces résultats, il faudrait restituer leur ***teinture d'or ou d'argent*** et leur poli à un nombre suffisant de miroirs convexes; or, nous sommes loin de compte avec la collection du Caire dont le seul exemplaire ayant conservé nettement son pouvoir réfléchissant, est non pas convexe, mais plan (n° 44048).
ATTEMPT: we would have to restore to a sufficient number of convex mirrors their ***tincture of gold or silver*** as well as their polish; however, we fall far short with the Cairo collection whose only specimen with a significantly preserved reflective surface is not convex, but plane (No. 44048).
ISSUE: I don't know what this is, what I don't think it is is dye, stain, tincture.
Thanks in advance!
angela3thomas
United States
its gold or silver reflective surface
Explanation:
I don't know why he's using the word "teinture" here, but it's clear from what he's talking about that he means the "reflective surface" --which is the relatively thin coating of gold or silver which is over the bronze supporting medium.

For some reason --at least in the Cairo mirror collection which he is cataloging-- the only exemplars which have survived with their reflective surfaces in tact are flat, not concave.

"Teinture" here might have the sense of a thin "wash" --produced by subjecting the bronze to contact with molten silver or gold?

Just speculating, but if that reflective surface were indeed quite thin, it might be that it was easily subject to being removed after successive polishing (esp. true for the silver, which would tarnish easily); and perhaps the concave mirrors saw more use than the flat ones, were therefore polished more often, thus subject to loosing their reflective surfaces?
Selected response from:

Christopher Crockett
Local time: 20:56
Grading comment
Guess maybe but an informed/educated one that makes sense to me and fits my context.
THANK YOU!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3its gold or silver reflective surface
Christopher Crockett


Discussion entries: 11





  

Answers


14 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
teinture d\'or ou d\'argent
its gold or silver reflective surface


Explanation:
I don't know why he's using the word "teinture" here, but it's clear from what he's talking about that he means the "reflective surface" --which is the relatively thin coating of gold or silver which is over the bronze supporting medium.

For some reason --at least in the Cairo mirror collection which he is cataloging-- the only exemplars which have survived with their reflective surfaces in tact are flat, not concave.

"Teinture" here might have the sense of a thin "wash" --produced by subjecting the bronze to contact with molten silver or gold?

Just speculating, but if that reflective surface were indeed quite thin, it might be that it was easily subject to being removed after successive polishing (esp. true for the silver, which would tarnish easily); and perhaps the concave mirrors saw more use than the flat ones, were therefore polished more often, thus subject to loosing their reflective surfaces?

Christopher Crockett
Local time: 20:56
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 131
Grading comment
Guess maybe but an informed/educated one that makes sense to me and fits my context.
THANK YOU!
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