TOLEDO - SPAIN & Damasquino (Damascene) Art
TOLEDO is a municipality located in central Spain, 70 km south of Madrid. It is the capital of the province of Toledo. It is also the capital of autonomous community of Castile--La Mancha. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 for its extensive cultural and monumental heritage as one of the former capitals of the Spanish Empire and place of coexistence of Christian, Muslim and Jewish cultures, as well as the place where harsh religious persecutions were held against the Jews by the Visigoths.
Many famous people and artists were born or lived in Toledo, including Al-Zarqali, Garcilaso de la Vega, Eleanor of Toledo, Alfonso X and El Greco. It was also the place of important historic events such as the Visigothic Councils of Toledo.
History
Having been populated since the Bronze Age, Toledo (Toletum in Latin) grew in importance during Roman times, being a main commercial and administrative centre in the Roman province of Tarraconensis. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Toledo served as the capital city of Visigothic Spain, beginning with Liuvigild (Leovigild), and was the capital of Spain until the Moors conquered Iberia in the 8th century.
Under the Caliphate of Cordoba, Toledo was the center of numerous insurrections dating from 761 to 857. The Banu Qasi gained nominal control of the city until 920 and in 932 Abd-ar-Rahman III captured the city following an extensive siege. Toledo experienced a period known as La Convivencia, i.e. the co-existence of Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Under Arab rule, Toledo was called Tulaytulah. After the fall of the Caliphate, Toledo was the capital city of one of the richest Taifas of Al-Andalus. Its population was overwhelmingly Muladi, and, because of its central location in the Iberian Peninsula, Toledo took a central position in the struggles between the Muslim and Christian rulers of northern Spain. The conquest of Toledo by Alfonso VI of Castile marked the first time a major city in Al-Andalus had fallen to Christian forces; it served to sharpen the religious aspect of the Christian reconquest.
Source: Wikipedia
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Damascene /Damasquino Art
Damascene Damasquinado de Oro or Damasquino is the art of decorating non-precious metals with gold. It has roots in the Middle Ages and originates from the oriental-style artisan work done in Damascus, Syria. The craft, perfected by the Arabs and brought with them to Spain, has remained virtually unchanged over the centuries.
Damascene items generally reflect two distinct traditional types of patterns; the Arabesque or geometric designs, and the Renaissance motifs, displaying variations of birds and flowers. These patterns are obtained by engraving deep, patterned cuts into steel and then placing a gold foil into the lines of the design. This foil is hammered until the gold (18/greenish and 24/yellow carat) penetrates into the cuts, forming the design. Each piece is treated with a bluing solution to obtain oxidation and a black background is created. The back of all Damascene pieces are finished with gold metal.
Toledo is the world's largest center of production of Damascene. The city of Toledo is one of the richest historically and culturally endowed cities in all of Spain.
Damascening is the art of inlaying different metals into one another—typically, gold or silver into a darkly oxidized steel background—to produce intricate patterns similar to niello. The English term comes from a perceived resemblance to the rich tapestry patterns of damask silk.
The technique has a long history in Japan, where it was used to decorate katana fittings, particularly tsuba. Known as zougan in Japanese, it has developed its own subset of terms to describe the particular patterns, although shippou-zougan is an enamelling technique which most Westerners would consider closer to champlevé.
Damascened-inlay jewelry, especially of Japanese origin, is sometimes referred to as shakudo from the use of that alloy as the dark background.
The technique of niello is also famously attested in prehistoric Greece. The earliest occurrence of damascening in the Aegean, from the Shaft Graves of Mycenae, dates to the latest Middle Bronze Age/Middle Helladic IIIB period (dagger Nu-304). Ultimately of Near Eastern provenance, the technique of inlaying silver/gold was adapted to suit Aegean taste and style.
Cities that are known for a rich history in Damascening where the technique is still practiced are Toledo, Spain, and Kyoto, Japan.
Damasquinados Suarez Toledo
The damascene--damasquido, damasquinado—originates in Damascus, Syria.
This jewelry making technique was brought to the Spanish peninsula during the Arab occupation of the territory.
The style is Arabic but later a Spanish design developed using birds, flowers, everything associated with life.
To create the Arabic style medallion shown, a gold or silver thread is worked into an etched steel base with the use of thread and a stylus until all the geometrically drawn design is filled in.
(The artisan finds this work rewarding. One has to love it because it takes a lot of practice and time to master this skill, sometimes up to four years. )
The creation of this kind of medallion uses four processes and can take up to five hours to complete.
The photos illustrate the steps entailed to create a brooch pin.
To begin, lines are etched into rough steel with a very sharp knife going in various directions to make the steel porous.
Next, the thread is placed in the design.
When threading is finished, the thread is encrusted into the steel by tapping it with a very little hammer and iron stick.
Then, a chemical process is used to cause a chemical reaction that gives brilliance to the metal and prevents oxidation.
The brooch is completed with a polishing process.
Crafts and damascene processing
TOLEDO-GOLD,
Ornamentation technique called damascene metal is of great antiquity, being the favorite decoration for weapons and armor from time immemorial. It basically consists of embedding a precious metal such as gold or 24K .925 fine silver thousandths other current metal such as steel, copper, iron, bronze, etc. This combination of different metals as a result provides a great beauty of real metal marquetry.
There are numerous examples in museums such as the Metropolitan of New York, the Army Museum and the Royal Armouries to the Royal Palace of Madrid … where we can find swords, armor, guns, saddles and so on of damask elements.
Being a form of oriental inspiration and craftsmanship behind the Arab presence in Spain for seven centuries, it is logical that this technique sink in deep among Spanish craftsmen, who learned and maintained until today, mainly in the city of Toledo, undoubtedly because of its ancient tradition of swordmaking, manufacture of armor and works on metal.
More info and products, TOLEDO-GOLD,
Damasquinado - Toledo
Reportaje realizado por Cristina Rodríguez para el programa Castilla La Mancha En Vivo (de la tele de Castilla La Mancha)
Damascene in Toledo
TOLEDO-GOLD,
Toledo has developed a very important industry in this craft better known as Gold Toledo. It serves as identification sign of the city.
TOLEDO GOLD, company founded in 1970 after the gathering of several Toledo craftmen and damascene masters, wishing to maintain the centenary tradition of damascening in the city. They put together their knowledge, skillfulness and talent and not only kept the tradition but gave a new impulse to it so the presence of this technique in Toledo knew a new and flourishing time. Together with this revival, the Toledo Damascening School was created by the local authorities of the city, allowing the emergence of new talents and new ideas, providing this technique with a blow of fresh air.
More info and products, TOLEDO-GOLD,
Gold Artisan in Toledo, Spain
Shot, edited & uploaded entirely on the Samsung Galaxy Note, Mr. Ramos, the artisan, etched gold onto steel before it's fired into ornaments & jewellery.
Simon Artesania Craftsman in gold from Toledo Spain
Simon Artesania Craftsman in gold from Toledo Spain conquestador neck pendantes only 5 on stock an I purchase 2 for my sons an my friend Lew bought one leaving 2 left this work over a century an the older gentleman only one today working the gold as the did 1000 plus years ago.
Created with MAGIX Video deluxe 2014
Artisan's gold work in Toledo Spain
Really neat hand made golden jewelry
Damasquinado un arte vivo Rtve
Reportaje de RTVE sobre la exposición Damasquinado, un arte vivo de Oscar Matín Garrido organizada por Artesanía Tradicional Toledana SL.
Toledo damasquino
Damasquino-werk in Toledo.
El Damasquinado de Toledo
Reportage a un artesano damasquinador con 45 años de experiencia en el arte de damsquinar.
Damascene traditional process - Anframa
In this video we show the traditional damascene process in order to know this amazing art.
Anframa Manufactured
TOLEDO GOLD,
Company founded in 1970 after the gathering of several Toledo craftmen and damascene masters, wishing to maintain the centenary tradition of damascening in the city. They put together their knowledge, skillfulness and talent and not only kept the tradition but gave a new impulse to it so the presence of this technique in Toledo knew a new and flourishing time. Together with this revival, the Toledo Damascening School was created by the local authorities of the city, allowing the emergence of new talents and new ideas, providing this technique with a blow of fresh air.
Nowadays, ANFRAMA is leader by far in the manufacture of damascened articles with 24 and 18 carat gold foil and wire, which depurated designs and high quality, being present in the domestic and international markets.
More info and products in TOLEDO GOLD,
DAMASCENING - DAMASCENE JEWELRY
The process of manufacture, which today conjugates an inherited spirit with an instrumental progress, is based on the preparation of untempered pieces of iron or steel, giving them the exact shapes, afterwards proceeding with a careful scratching with very sharp and very hard steel knives, giving very compact and very close cuts in three different directions until a roughness is formed. On this base, the gold thread is embedded, pressing with a burin, accomplishing rich drawings. The gold is fixed with a subsequent and light hammering. The slits are closed fixing the gold. The final operation is the bluing or complete oxidizing of the steel, which takes a deep black colour which makes more outstanding the drawings of the embedded gold.
Miniature Damascene Boabdil Sword Letter Opener by Marto of Toledo Spain SFMA505.1S/3S
Abu 'abd-Allah Muhammad XII (born 1460; died 1533), known as Boabdil (a Spanish corruption of the name Abu Abdullah), was the twenty-second and last Nasrid ruler of Granada in Iberia. Boabdil was also called el chico, the little, or el zogoybi, the unfortunate. Son of Abu l-Hasan Ali, king of the taifa of Granada, he was proclaimed king in 1482 in place of his father, who was driven from the land.
Muhammad XII soon after sought to gain prestige by invading Castile. Boabdil was taken prisoner at Lucena in 1484. Between 1484 and 1487, he was held prisoner. Power returned to his father and then in 1485 to his uncle Muhammed XIII, also known as Abdullah ez Zagal.
Boabdil only obtained his freedom and support to recover his throne in 1487 by consenting to hold Granada as a tributary kingdom under Ferdinand and Isabella, king and queen of Castile and Aragon, and not to intervene to prevent the conquest of Malaga.
1487 saw the fall of Baeza, Malaga and Almeria. 1489 saw the fall of Almunecar and Salobrena. By the beginning of 1491, Granada was the only Muslim city left in Spain.
This beautiful Miniature Damascene Boabdil Sword Letter Opener is manufactured in Toledo Spain by the famous Midas factory of the Marto swordsmiths. The Miniature Damascene Boabdil Sword Letter Opener is plated with 24 Karat yellow gold and 18 Karat green gold with a minimum thickness of 4 microns
Features
- Overall Length: 29 cms - 11 inches
- Blade Material: polished stainless steel
- Handle Material: Damascene 24K Yellow Gold and 18K Green Gold plate with a minimum thickness of 4 microns
- A truly MAGNIFICENT piece
Damanscene Jewelry maker - Toledo, Spain
Damanscene Jewelry maker - Toledo, Spain
Watching local artisans make Toledo (Spain) inlay art jewelry
Watching local artisans make Toledo (Spain) inlay art jewelry
Toledo Damascene Blade Making
Damascene steel
Damasquinado (El oro de Toledo)
Si la espada es la fortaleza de Toledo, el damasquinado es su alma. Cada hilo de oro, de plata, cada incrustación, en definitiva, su belleza, da como resultado un arte que se ha convertido, junto a la de las armas blancas, en una seña identificativa de la ciudad de Toledo durante toda su historia.
Damasquinado en Farcama 2012