Champleve

Champleve is an enamelling technique in which a design is formed by carving, engraving or casting recessed cells directly into the surface of a metal object, which are then filled with powdered colored glass enamel and fired until it fuses and hardens. This distinguishes it from cloisonne, where thin wires are soldered onto a metal surface to build up raised compartments for the enamel rather than removing metal to form the cells; champleve's enamel divisions are typically wider and more irregular than cloisonne's fine wire outlines. Because it requires a thick metal base to carve into, champleve has traditionally been worked in copper and other durable base metals, and suits relatively large decorative objects such as reliquaries, plaques and vessels.