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How is granulated filigree different from smooth-wire filigree?
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metalwork
Warrior and attendants plaque, brass relief sculpture by Edo artists in the court of the kingdom of Benin (now Nigeria), 16th–17th century; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.
In the context of metalwork and decorative arts, the distinction between these techniques lies in the materials and methods used to create the ornamentation:
- Smooth-wire filigree is a form of delicate, lacelike openwork created by curling, twisting, or plaiting fine threads of gold or silver wire. These threads are soldered at their points of contact to form intricate, airy designs.1
- Granulated filigree (often associated with the broader technique of granulation) incorporates minute grains or tiny balls of metal into the design. While traditional filigree relies on the linear quality of wire, granulation uses these small spheres to fill in parts of a decoration or to create geometric and textured patterns on a surface.2
Historically, the term "filigree" itself is derived from the Latin words for "thread" (filum) and "grain" (granum), reflecting the early practice of combining wire work with small metal beads.34