chrysography / arguriography
Sep. 24th, 2012 07:23 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
prettygoodwordTheme week! -- another round of doublets, because they keep building up on my list of future words.
chrysography (kri-SOG-ruh-fee) - n., the art of writing gold letters in illuminated manuscripts; the gold writing so produced.
arguriography (ar-gur-ee-OG-ruh-fee) - n., the art of writing silver letters in illuminated manuscripts; the silver writing so produced.
Which set of definitions amuses me somewhat, as a suspension of finely ground gold particles produces writing that's closer to purplish-crimson than something golden -- and likewise, arguriography (which is much more rare, being of less prestige) results in bluish-slate-purple. The words don't have much use today, outside of museums, auction descriptions, and scholarly works on these arts -- for an art it is, producing this stuff. From Greek roots, chryso- meaning gold, arguri- silver, and graphos writing.
---L.
chrysography (kri-SOG-ruh-fee) - n., the art of writing gold letters in illuminated manuscripts; the gold writing so produced.
arguriography (ar-gur-ee-OG-ruh-fee) - n., the art of writing silver letters in illuminated manuscripts; the silver writing so produced.
Which set of definitions amuses me somewhat, as a suspension of finely ground gold particles produces writing that's closer to purplish-crimson than something golden -- and likewise, arguriography (which is much more rare, being of less prestige) results in bluish-slate-purple. The words don't have much use today, outside of museums, auction descriptions, and scholarly works on these arts -- for an art it is, producing this stuff. From Greek roots, chryso- meaning gold, arguri- silver, and graphos writing.
---L.
