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Why does transparent enamel reflect light from the metal underneath?
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Enamelwork
Standing dish depicting Samson crushing the Philistines with the jawbone of an ass, enamel on copper by Pierre Courteys, c. 1580; in the Taft Museum of Art, Cincinnati, Ohio. Height 9.8 cm, diameter 22.9 cm.
Transparent enamel reflects light from the underlying metal because it is translucent, meaning it allows light to pass through its structure rather than blocking it.1
When light penetrates this layer of glass, it travels through to the surface of the metal base—typically gold, silver, or copper—and is then reflected back through the enamel to the viewer's eye. This property is essential for techniques like basse-taille, where the transparency of the enamel makes any engraving or decorative work on the metal surface visible beneath the colored glass.1