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A network of fine cracks in the paint or varnish of a painting.
‘A chapter called ‘How to Look at a Painting’ recommends studying craquelure in order to estimate a painting's period and country of origin.’
‘The nature of the support will affect the craquelure: that of a canvas painting differs from a work on panel.’
‘He obtains chipped and plastery-looking surfaces with a dense craquelure.’
‘As the medium extends the integrity of the pigment, he manipulates it to achieve substrata and surfaces that range from a glazed appearance or deepening craquelure to the look of pollen, each seductive in its own right.’
Origin
Early 20th century: French, from craqueler ‘to crackle’.