inlay

1. 1. To set (pieces of wood or ivory, for example) into a surface, usually at the same level, to form a design.
   2. To decorate by setting in such designs.
2. To insert (a photograph, for example) within a mat in a book.

1. 1. Contrasting material set into a surface in pieces to form a design.
   2. A design, pattern, or decoration made by inlaying.
2. Dentistry. A solid filling, as of gold or porcelain, fitted to a cavity in a tooth and cemented into place.

1. a restoration of metal, fired porcelain, or plastic made to fit a tapered cavity preparation and fastened to or luted into it with a cementing medium. v 2. to perform such a procedure.

For other uses, see Inlay (disambiguation).

Bronze inlaid with silver: ceremonial flask, China, from the Warring States period, 3rd century BCE.

Inlay is a decorative technique of inserting pieces of contrasting, often coloured materials into depressions in a base object to form patterns or pictures that normally are flush with the matrix.^[1] In a wood matrix, inlays commonly use wood veneers, but other materials like shells, mother-of-pearl, horn or ivory may also be used. Pietre dure, or coloured stones inlaid in white or black marbles, and inlays of precious metals in a base metal matrix (niello) are other forms of inlay.

Inlay in wood furniture differs from marquetry, a similar technique that largely replaced it in high-style European furniture during the 17th century,^[2] in that marquetry is an assembly of veneers applied over the entire surface of an object, whereas inlay consists of small pieces inserted on the bed of cut spaces in the base material, of which most remains visible.

Inlay is commonly used in production of decorative furniture, where pieces of coloured wood or metal are inserted into the surface of the carcass. Lutherie inlays are frequently used as decoration and marking on musical instruments, particularly the smaller strings.

The intarsia Studiolo di Gubbio, made by Francesco di Giorgio for Federico da Montefeltro at Gubbio (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Decaying wood inlay on chest in a Greek monastery.

The most famous example of furniture inlay in Europe may be the late 15th century Studiolo [1] made for Federico da Montefeltro in his Ducal Palace at Urbino, in which trompe-l'oeil shelving seems to carry books, papers, curios and mathematical instruments, in eye-deceiving perspective. The similar private study made for him at Gubbio is now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (illustration).^[3]

Notes

1. ^ Oxford Companion to the Decorative Arts, 1975, s.v. "Inlay", "Wood-working (Special Techniques)".
2. ^ John Fleming and Hugh Honour, The Penguin Dictionary of Decorative Arts (1977) s.v. "Inlay".
3. ^ Metropolitan Museum: Studiolo

See also

• marquetry
• mosaic
• niello
• damascening
• intarsia

External links

• Luigi Nebuloni's Personal Page Modern inlay painting
• Difference between Indian Classic Inlay and Italian Pietra Dura "Parchinkari"

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Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - indlægge
n. - indlæg, mosaik, mønster

Nederlands (Dutch)
vulling, inlegwerk, inleggen

Français (French)
v. tr. - incruster, marqueter, damasquiner
n. - incrustation, marqueterie, damasquinage, (Dent) inlay

Deutsch (German)
v. - einlegen
n. - Plombe, Einlegearbeit, Intarsie

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - διακοσμώ με ένθεση
n. - ένθεση, ενθετική διακόσμηση, μαρκετερί

Italiano (Italian)
piombatura, intarsio

Português (Portuguese)
v. - marchetar, incrustar
n. - obra (f) de marchetaria, incrustação (f)

Русский (Russian)
делать мозаичную работу, инкрустации, делать инкрустацию, инкрустация, мозаика

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - embutir, incrustar, hacer mosaico
n. - empaste, taracea, incrustación, marquetería

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - lägga in (trä, mosaik e.d.)
n. - inlagt arbete, intarsia, (tand)fyllning

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
嵌入, 插入, 镶嵌, 镶嵌物, 镶补, 镶嵌细工

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 嵌入, 插入, 鑲嵌
n. - 鑲嵌物, 鑲補, 鑲嵌細工

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 박아 넣다, 아로새기다, 상감하다
n. - 상감, 상감 세공, 충치의 봉박기

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - はめ込む, 象眼する, …にはめ込む
n. - 象眼, 象眼細工品, インレー

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يطعم, يرصع (الاسم) تطعيم, ترصيع, حشوة ضرس,‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮שיבץ, קבע (קישוט), מילואה (משבצת לשיבוץ אבן טובה)‬
n. - ‮שיבוץ, קישוט, סתימה, מילוי (בשן), מילואה (משבצת לשיבוץ אבן טובה)‬

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