Keywords
Art History
Sculpture
An inset or inlay technique. One example is the eyes in a wooden statue in which the shape of the eye is hollowed out and a thin piece of crystal is inserted, giving a realistic impression. Similarly, in metalwork and lacquerwork, patterns are carved out and the engraved sections are filled in with another material. Inlaid lacquerwork is known as *zōgan 象嵌 in Japan. See *gyokugan 玉眼. An inset or inlay technique.