Craquelure

Craquelure (French: craquelé, Italian: crettatura) is the fine pattern of dense cracking formed on the surface of materials and can be induced by drying, aging, intentional patterning, or a combination of all three. The term is most often used to refer to tempera or oil paintings, but it can also develop in old ivory carvings or painted miniatures on an ivory backing. Recently, craquelure has been proposed as a way to authenticate art. Craquelure (French: craquelé, Italian: crettatura) is the fine pattern of dense cracking formed on the surface of materials and can be induced by drying, aging, intentional patterning, or a combination of all three. The term is most often used to refer to tempera or oil paintings, but it can also develop in old ivory carvings or painted miniatures on an ivory backing. Recently, craquelure has been proposed as a way to authenticate art. In ceramics, craquelure in ceramic glazes, where it is often a desired effect, is called 'crackle', or crazing. It is a characteristic of Chinese Ge ware in particular.