[David]

Originally Posted by Gonzalo G

A. G. Maisey, thank you for your perspective, you sent me into a better search. I was looking in my old metalworking books, and I found a very clear reference to the point by Herbert Maryon, who, by the way, is very inn the trade, and also wrote abook which is a BIBLE among silversmiths of the classical school. In this book, titled Metal Work and Enamelling, in the chapter XIII, second paragraph, he says: "Strictly speaking, repoussé is that part of the work which is donde from the reverse side of the metal -the bossing up the lines or patterns from the back; chasing is the part which is done from the front. But in modern times the term repousé has been extended to cover all work in relief, wether donde from the back or the front." (Dover, Fifth Revised Edition, 1971, page 113). Please take notice that Mayron was an englishmen who recived the designation of Technical Attaché in the Research Laboratory of the British Museum, and had this position between 1945 and 1963.

So, at least in England, the term "repousé" was used in it´s classical meaning (which is the same that I use), as the work made from the back exclusively. I was not wrong, after all.

Fernando, please excuse the disgression, but we were clarifying the nature of the work done to your beautiful piece.
All my best

Gonzalo

Sorry, i actually read this just a little bit differently. Clearly the source you site states: "But in modern times the term repousé has been extended to cover all work in relief, wether donde from the back or the front". Seeing that he wrote this at least 40 years ago and that definition was in common usage then it would seem that for at least a half century and perhaps more reprousse has referred to work done from either the front or back of the metal. That's the thing about languages. Meanings change over time. If we cling to the "classical" meanings of words we might end up having a hard time understanding each other.