Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
nefs de cristal de roche ornées d’émaux
English translation:
Nefs in rock crystal with enamel décor/ornamentation
Added to glossary by
Helen Shiner
Aug 10, 2021 12:29
3 yrs ago
33 viewers *
French term
nefs de cristal de roche ornées d’émaux
French to English
Art/Literary
Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
From An Art History Book
Contexte:
Les parures modernes ne vinrent pas au Jeu de Paume. Seules y arrivèrent les joailleries de style, parmi lesquelles la presque totalité des créations du XVIe siècle existant encore dans le monde. Un tel ensemble, avec ses pendentifs, ses agrafes, ses colliers auquel il faut ajouter les coupes et les nefs de cristal de roche ornées d’émaux et de pierres précieuses, donne une réalité formelle et tangible à tout ce que l’on peut rêver des splendeurs de la Renaissance.
Merci Beaucoup,
Barbara
Les parures modernes ne vinrent pas au Jeu de Paume. Seules y arrivèrent les joailleries de style, parmi lesquelles la presque totalité des créations du XVIe siècle existant encore dans le monde. Un tel ensemble, avec ses pendentifs, ses agrafes, ses colliers auquel il faut ajouter les coupes et les nefs de cristal de roche ornées d’émaux et de pierres précieuses, donne une réalité formelle et tangible à tout ce que l’on peut rêver des splendeurs de la Renaissance.
Merci Beaucoup,
Barbara
Proposed translations
(English)
4 +4 | Nefs in rock crystal with enamel décor/ornamention |
Helen Shiner
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Change log
Aug 15, 2021 15:51: Helen Shiner Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+4
13 mins
Selected
Nefs in rock crystal with enamel décor/ornamention
The Nef takes the form of a ship with sides carved with twisting men of differing ages and idealised young women, entwined by billowing drapes, which recall waves of water. Carved in high relief, the figures are set against a low relief ground of reeds and rockwork, possibly identifying them as river gods and nymphs. https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2016/old-mas...
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Note added at 16 mins (2021-08-10 12:45:44 GMT)
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Another example in the British Museum: Standing cup, nef; bloodstone; mounted in chased gold; enamelled and jewelled; boat-shaped cup, five pillars at stern forming a balustrade, rails enamelled lavender and white and set with cabochon emerald and carbuncles; on each side of edge are chased and enamelled cartouches …
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_WB-82
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Note added at 1 hr (2021-08-10 13:51:25 GMT)
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Typo: ornamentation
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Note added at 16 mins (2021-08-10 12:45:44 GMT)
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Another example in the British Museum: Standing cup, nef; bloodstone; mounted in chased gold; enamelled and jewelled; boat-shaped cup, five pillars at stern forming a balustrade, rails enamelled lavender and white and set with cabochon emerald and carbuncles; on each side of edge are chased and enamelled cartouches …
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_WB-82
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Note added at 1 hr (2021-08-10 13:51:25 GMT)
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Typo: ornamentation
Peer comment(s):
agree |
philgoddard
: Yes, it needs a few words of explanation in brackets. // I'm an art specialist, but I had to Google it :-)
3 mins
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Thanks, Phil. I think the text presumes an audience educated in these matters, but I guess one could explain a little, if allowed./Haha, I guess I’ve spent too many hours translating auction catalogues filled with such items. Google is our friend ;-)
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agree |
Emmanuella
: No need to explain. You may find this word in the dictionary (cf. Collins). N.B ornemen(ta) tion.
17 mins
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Thanks, Emmanuella; yes, the text expects the audience to know or check a dictionary ;-)/Ornamentation - yes, of course - a typo
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neutral |
Steve Robbie
: The alternative is just to write "ship", which is what nef literally means . French readers don't need to be especially knowledgeable, whereas "nef" in English is more esoteric. But then, the author's style does seems quite high-flown.
24 mins
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Possibly but that would be to ignore the correct decorative arts term. Not sure why you’d want to. As is frequently the case, the EN decorative art term is the adopted FR - see my Sotheby’s and British Museum refs.
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agree |
Samuël Buysschaert
1 hr
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Thanks, Samuël
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agree |
Wendy Streitparth
19 hrs
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Thanks, Wendy
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neutral |
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
: I may be missing something but why not "naves"? "Nef"/"nave" are related to things nautical (navigation, navy, etc.). From general knowledge, the structural frames of a boat's hull and the rafters, braces and so on of a church match for form.
20 hrs
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Please read my refs, Nikki. It’s the term used in the decorative arts. I don’t make the rules ;-)
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Discussion
http://www.eurodecart.com/notable-sales/nef-designed-by-jose...
http://www.cmog.org/glass-dictionary/nef#:~:text=(from Old F...