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Glossary entry

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
2 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
Proposed translations (English)
4 +4 Nefs in rock crystal with enamel décor/ornamention
Change log

Aug 15, 2021 15:51: Helen Shiner Created KOG entry

Discussion

Barbara Cochran, MFA (asker) Aug 10, 2021:
Yes, They Are What I Thought They are reproductions of sailing ships. Here are some pictorial examples:

http://www.eurodecart.com/notable-sales/nef-designed-by-jose...
philgoddard Aug 10, 2021:
Yes, 'nef' is the only word that requires a bit of research.
http://www.cmog.org/glass-dictionary/nef#:~:text=(from Old F...
Emmanuella Aug 10, 2021:
https://www.google.com/search?q=renaissance-nef cristal roch...

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
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
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 ;-)
agree Emmanuella : No need to explain. You may find this word in the dictionary (cf. Collins). N.B ornemen(ta) tion.
17 mins
Thanks, Emmanuella; yes, the text expects the audience to know or check a dictionary ;-)/Ornamentation - yes, of course - a typo
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
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.
agree Samuël Buysschaert
1 hr
Thanks, Samuël
agree Wendy Streitparth
19 hrs
Thanks, Wendy
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
Please read my refs, Nikki. It’s the term used in the decorative arts. I don’t make the rules ;-)
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