2020 Essays

What is Esmail in Ms. Fr. 640?

Chang, Amy

This essay explores the meaning of esmail in Ms. Fr. 640 and places it in the context of historical enameling techniques. The term translates as “enamel,” but whereas this usually implies a vitreous substance produced using heat, in Ms. Fr. 640 it also encompasses materials with a glossy, enamel-like appearance without the application of heat, such as “cold enamels” which can be painted out, and in fact surpass vitreous enamels in their versatility and ease of application.