marbré d'une jolie patine à reflets

English translation: a marbled disk with a lovely, lustrous patina

16:13 Sep 1, 2017
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Archaeology / ancient art
French term or phrase: marbré d'une jolie patine à reflets
Hello!
DOC: 1907 Museum catalog of ancient Egyptian mirrors - Catalog entry #44018, an openwork-handled mirror of bronze.
CONTEXT: Conservation: Intact dans l'ensemble. ***Disque marbré d'une jolie patine à reflets***, beaucoup plus accentuée sur l'une des faces. - Manche: patine bronze florentin sombre. A l'intérieur, oxydation verte.
ATTEMPT: Disk marbled with a nice iridescent patina, much more pronounced on one of the faces.
ISSUE: Perhaps variegated? The word "reflet" seems to exist in English, but it's truly obscure so I'd rather not use it. Reflet = luster or iridescence, esp. on ceramics. Another = an effect of brilliance or luster due to the reflection of light on a surface, especially of pottery; iridescence.
Thanks in advance help with an accurate translation of this description!
angela3thomas
United States
English translation:a marbled disk with a lovely, lustrous patina
Explanation:
"A marbled disk with an lovely, lustrous patina, which is much more noticeable on one side than the other." (Though I like your "pronounced" as well.)

Here "marbled" implies that the patina is not uniform in color, but (yes) variegated --i.e., it varies, slightly, in color, as the surface seems to have aged differently in various parts, for some reason.

I think that "lustrous" works o.k. here for a "patine à reflets" --a patina could be somewhat dull or it could retain its reflective luster, probably depending upon the degree of polish still present on the surface of the piece.

Clearly, B. was in love with the variety of patinas on the bronzes he was seeing, trying his best to offer imaginative descriptions of them. (One is reminded of the fact that the patina of ancient bronzes was --and remains-- a very important element of their value; steel wool the patina off to a shiny new surface and you could well have rendered the object nearly worthless --as well as introduced the question of authenticity.)

What the hell does a "patine bronze florentin sombre" look like?

Is it "jolie"?

Inquiring minds want to know.
Selected response from:

Christopher Crockett
Local time: 09:46
Grading comment
Thanks very much!
Thanks to TonyM as well for the valuable advice.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2a marbled disk with a lovely, lustrous patina
Christopher Crockett
4patina
FRENCHGUY


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


36 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
marbré d\'une jolie patine à reflets
patina


Explanation:
it's basically the transformation of an object's surface over time so I guess the closest word I can think of is 'patina' which is associated to the look of something that has aged

FRENCHGUY
Canada
Local time: 09:46
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
marbré d\'une jolie patine à reflets
a marbled disk with a lovely, lustrous patina


Explanation:
"A marbled disk with an lovely, lustrous patina, which is much more noticeable on one side than the other." (Though I like your "pronounced" as well.)

Here "marbled" implies that the patina is not uniform in color, but (yes) variegated --i.e., it varies, slightly, in color, as the surface seems to have aged differently in various parts, for some reason.

I think that "lustrous" works o.k. here for a "patine à reflets" --a patina could be somewhat dull or it could retain its reflective luster, probably depending upon the degree of polish still present on the surface of the piece.

Clearly, B. was in love with the variety of patinas on the bronzes he was seeing, trying his best to offer imaginative descriptions of them. (One is reminded of the fact that the patina of ancient bronzes was --and remains-- a very important element of their value; steel wool the patina off to a shiny new surface and you could well have rendered the object nearly worthless --as well as introduced the question of authenticity.)

What the hell does a "patine bronze florentin sombre" look like?

Is it "jolie"?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Christopher Crockett
Local time: 09:46
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 131
Grading comment
Thanks very much!
Thanks to TonyM as well for the valuable advice.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  writeaway
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Write.

agree  philgoddard
4 hrs
  -> Thanks, Phil.
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