Round Cloisonné Work by DIACCA from 1974-1985
These pieces are part of a series of cloisonné work which were designed to be wall mounted. The majority of all the enamels are fully transparent and all are of the lead-bearing type. I believe that glass (enamel) should really reflect and refract as I believe glass is intended to. I do not like to fill between the cloisons with enamel flush to the top as is the usual manner of cloisonné artists creating a flat surface. If the wires project a slight bit and the enamel is a bit concave, it only adds to the interest, reflectivity and subtle depth of the piece.
This piece is a copper, six-inch, 18 ga. flat circle enameled with fine silver cloisonné. The outside edge is fitted with a complete bezel of sterling.
It is typical of the cloisonné designs of DIACCA as fanciful landscapes from Wisconsin intertwine with human forms in a graceful Art Nouveau style.
It is typical of the cloisonné designs of DIACCA as fanciful landscapes from Wisconsin intertwine with human forms in a graceful Art Nouveau style.
A view of the back of the same piece done with fine silver cloisonné enamel and sterling mountings.
The little u-shaped cutaway is placed in such a way as to facilitate the hanging of the small wall piece. The soft graceful Art Nouveau style is carried throughout the entire piece both front and back.
The little u-shaped cutaway is placed in such a way as to facilitate the hanging of the small wall piece. The soft graceful Art Nouveau style is carried throughout the entire piece both front and back.
This piece is a copper, six-inch 18 ga. flat circle enameled with fine silver cloisonné. The outside edge is fitted with a complete bezel of sterling.
This is a complicated design featuring multitudes of small flowers representing the landscape along with a human form. The circles represent "infinity" and have been a typical design element in all of DIACCA's work beginning with her paintings at graduate level and continue throughout all her work.
This is a complicated design featuring multitudes of small flowers representing the landscape along with a human form. The circles represent "infinity" and have been a typical design element in all of DIACCA's work beginning with her paintings at graduate level and continue throughout all her work.
A view of the back of the previous piece done with sterling mountings.
The little u-shaped cutaway is placed in such a way as to facilitate the hanging of the small wall piece.
The little u-shaped cutaway is placed in such a way as to facilitate the hanging of the small wall piece.
This piece is an eight-inch by five-and-a-half-inch somewhat oval flat piece of 18 ga. fine silver with fine silver cloisonné enamel. It is the first in a series of pieces intended to be wall hung.
The fine silver background gives a wonderful amount of reflection and creates the most brilliant blues available with enamel. The enamel on this piece is very thin to help reflect the light off the silver base. Most cloisonné is filled to the top of the cloisons and then stoned flat. The enamel in the cloisons in this case is concave and gives a greater texture (depth) to the surface. This piece does have some opaque enamel in order to set off the highly reflective transparencies next to the opacity. This includes white (circles of infinity) filling a cream background.
The fine silver background gives a wonderful amount of reflection and creates the most brilliant blues available with enamel. The enamel on this piece is very thin to help reflect the light off the silver base. Most cloisonné is filled to the top of the cloisons and then stoned flat. The enamel in the cloisons in this case is concave and gives a greater texture (depth) to the surface. This piece does have some opaque enamel in order to set off the highly reflective transparencies next to the opacity. This includes white (circles of infinity) filling a cream background.
This being the first of a series for hanging, it originally had (as shown here) only wide sterling flaps bent over the edges of the cloisonné to attach the sterling back hanger to the cloisonné.
This was later changed to a full bezel due to the instability of the former design. All following work was done with a full bezel setting.
This was later changed to a full bezel due to the instability of the former design. All following work was done with a full bezel setting.
Pat DIACCA Topp - The Topp Shop & Gallery
709 W. 5th Street - Marshfield, WI 54449 - Ph: 1-715-384-2627
TOP OF PAGE