Please help me identify how to describe this Chinese (?) embossed foil (?) art print

[111grand]

I have two framed prints / posters with this attractive embossed foil (?) print technique-- wish I knew what it is called-- they each have a mark/stamp (pictured). Will appreciate any ideas!

[pixzee]

Impossible for me to tell much of any thing from the photos. You may need to do some due diligence before folks can help.

1. size?

2. type of framing, glass covered, backing what the backing looks like

3. Is that really embossing on paper? can you see the reverse embossing on the back?

4. have you run your finger over it?

I notice reflection in the second photo, is that glass, mirror or very shiny ink? is it possible it is reverse painted glass with a metallic (puff/thick) paint over the top. There is some misalignment of the gold over the clouds in the second photo suggesting some sort of hand work, perhaps serigraph for the gold and airbursh/hand paint for the underpainting? does the gold color actually perfectly follow the contours of the raised area? too many questions on my end to offer much help. sorry.

[pixzee]

I just wanted to add:

I can't tell if this is the type of cheap flashy print they hang with the black light posters in an old skool headshop (embossed), or the kind of tacky print gathering dust on the wall above the stacks of ramen noodles in a Vietnamese grocery (screen printed). Or is it a somewhat garish painting you'd find at a Chinese furniture store that on close inspection is really quite interesting because of the unique techniques employed (hand painted).

There may be a market for any three of those, but the last guess would have a better value, imho. Too little to go on.

[maxine*j]

In your final description, note that the tiger represents the yin forces in the universe, and the dragon represents the yang forces.  This combination of tiger and dragon, yin and yang, is a classic motif.  (And my apologies if I'm telling you something you already know.)

[111grand]

Thank you-- I did not know that, very helpful!

[111grand]

Thank you so much for all your thoughts-- you inspired me to take the second artwork of a tiger apart, which involved removing some tacks-- as you suggested, it is reverse painted, so it is not a poster behind glass, as I had a first assumed. The front of the glass is smooth, the back has parts of the image indented, and then I guess someone painted gold in those grooves, and then possibly spray painted the rest. That back painted surface was protected by a large yellowed sheet of Chinese paper covered with text (some in English) about algorithms or something technical. The frame is laquered, with inlays of mother of pearl. The frame is approximately 26" high by 20" wide. It has a vintage quality, so maybe it is from the 1950's? Apparently Chinese reverse painting goes back centuries ... 

[pixzee · Accepted solution]

Yes, so that would place these in the 3rd category, Chinese import shop.

By indented, do you mean there are shallow groves in the back of the glass, almost like someone was carving into a linoleum print?

Is it actual glass or plexi glass? I would expect glass.

The method would be to first carve (engrave) the grooves, like when they cut into glassware. These lines were filled with the gold paint (any paint that accidentally spilled out of the grooves would be removed). Then a top layer of airbrushed paint was applied, some of this may have been painted with a brush. From the front of the piece the gold engraved lines would be forward and the airbrush paint behind.

Chinese hand made reverse painting on engraved glass.

You may want to spend some time in your ad to describe the basics of the process; to mention that the lines (like the stripes on the tiger) were first engraved then filled in with paint; then the background added with airbursh and hand brushed techniques.

I am sure they are much more impressive in real life.

[pixzee]

I wanted to add that the gold or silver engraved lines may be gold or silver leaf.

[111grand]

Yes, exactly, the grooves on the reverse look like linoleum block grooves, and then they are airbrushed over-- it is glass, not plastic. Thanks for sharing-- it was really fun to read your posts and learn something about what I have, which will help me sell them-- wasn't getting very far on my own online!

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