tole

Thân thiện

A decorative tole tray sits on a wooden side table.

Definition

Noun: 1. Enameled or lacquered metalware, often decorated: A type of decorative art object, typically made of tinplate or other thin metal, which is coated with enamel or lacquer and then painted, often with elaborate designs. It was especially popular in Europe and America during the 18th century.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The antique shop specialized in 18th-century French tole.
  • She collects tole trays painted with floral patterns.
  • A beautifully preserved tole lantern hung in the hallway.

Advanced Usage

• "Tole painting": Refers specifically to the folk art technique of painting on this type of metalware.
  • She learned the art of tole painting to decorate her own trays and boxes.

Variants and Related Words

• Toleware (n): Another term for tole, emphasizing it as a category of goods.
  • The museum has an impressive collection of historical toleware.

Synonyms

• Painted tinware
• Japanned ware (refers to a similar process using lacquer)
• Decorative metalware

Notes on Meaning

The term tole almost exclusively refers to the finished, decorative object itself (like a tray, box, or lantern). It is not used for the unpainted metal or for the act of painting. The reference to "the Pennsylvania Dutch tole watering can" is a classic example, specifying a type of folk art object from a particular cultural tradition.

Học thuật

Noun

1. enameled or lacquered metalware (usually gilded and elaborately painted); popular in the 18th century
   • the Pennsylvania Dutch tole watering can might be a reproduction but it looks convincing