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posture magique de Proust
Profond comme une plume
May 31, 2010 19:22
14 yrs ago
French term

encaustiquer

French to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
"Dresser une carapace puissante, marteler la douceur du plomb, encaustiquer, déshabiller les couleurs, laisser seulement subsister l’émouvant murmure d’une polychromie incertaine"

Is encaustic ever used as a verb in English?
Proposed translations (English)
4 encaustic
3 +3 waxing / polishing
3 refining/polishing
3 caustic etching
Change log

May 31, 2010 19:22: changed "Kudoz queue" from "In queue" to "Public"

Discussion

wiltom Jun 1, 2010:
I would still say 'hot waxed', which is the point I was (badly) trying to make. Why use the word 'encaustiquer' if it is just 'ciré'?
Tony M Jun 1, 2010:
No doubt about that... I don't think anyone has ever doubted the existence of the technical term for the process; what is, however, in doubt is whether or not the writer intended the meaning to be the strict technical one, or rather (as I suspect) was meaning it in its more everyday, ordinary meaning.
wiltom Jun 1, 2010:
As previously stated 'Encaustic painting' does indeed exist in English, it is other wise known as Hot Wax Painting/Method.
You could say '...an encaustic technique...' or ...the hot wax method...'
Susan Nicholls Jun 1, 2010:
Reading the answers proposed I can't help wondering what the context is. I imagined it referred to applying pigment with hot wax medium.
Susan Nicholls May 31, 2010:
I keep dipping in and out of your Kandinsky questions... wax could be used as a verb.

Proposed translations

13 hrs
Selected

encaustic

It may be waxing as Tony suggests, and certainly has this meaning in relation to making fine art prints. But encaustic is also a painting technique. My Thames & Hudson Dictionary of Art Tems defines it as "a painting technique which originated in ancient times, using pigments mixed with hot wax as a binder. Synonym "cerography".

HTH

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Note added at 13 hrs (2010-06-01 08:45:24 GMT)
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It may not be appropriate for your context here, but in answer to your question about whether it can be used as a verb, I think it may be possible, but "encaustic painting" is certainly used.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "I think the technical term is suitably vague!"
8 mins

refining/polishing

suggestion
Something went wrong...
55 mins

caustic etching

I think this could be it, but more context (ie, what is he doing?)
Caustic etching seems to be performed on aluminium, but I don't know if this rules out any other substances...
Here are 2 patents:

Caustic etching of aluminum with matte finish and low waste ...
Patent Claims: WE CLAIM: 1. A process for etching an aluminum or aluminum alloy work piece to obtain a desired finish from bright to matte, comprising the ...
www.patentstorm.us/patents/5091046/claims.html - Cached - Similar
Caustic etching of aluminum with matte finish and low waste ...
by RF Hunter - 1992 - Related articles
A process for etching aluminum in caustic solution capable of providing a consistently uniform matte finish like that of the never dump process, ...
www.freepatentsonline.com/5091046.html
Peer comment(s):
neutral Alison Sabedoria (X) : I've never seen "encaustiquer" used for this.
16 hrs
it was a bit of a guess, albeit an inspired one as I thought at the time :)
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+3
3 hrs

waxing / polishing

In everyday contexts where I've seen this used, it had nothing to do with 'caustic' whatever, but simply meant waxing (fine oak furniture, for example) (the dictionary definition given by R=C)

I can't help wondering, if there is any literal element of a metal sculpture about this, whether perhaps 'burnishing' mightn't be more appropriate...? thinking of bronzes, but I guess it would apply to lead too!
Peer comment(s):
agree chaplin
57 mins
Merci, Ségolène !
agree Stephanie Frederick : Yes, wax! http://www.granddictionnaire.com/
4 hrs
Thanks, ssmed!
neutral Carol Gullidge : not a comment on yr answer (you may well be right!), but to ssmed: I can't find encaustiquer in the GD! If I could, I'd post an Agree here!
8 hrs
Try the noun form 'encaustique' ;-) But I don't think this is referring to the very specific painting technique, but rather in a more general sense...
agree Alison Sabedoria (X)
14 hrs
Thanks, W/E!
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