Intarsias

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A technique in decorative art involving the inlaying of different materials into a base object to create a design or image
2. Referring to artworks or crafts that feature this method of inlaid mosaic patterns or pictures
3. Describing objects or designs that are characterized by intricate, multicolored pieces set into a solid surface

Etymology: "Intarsias" is simply the plural of "intarsia," so the history belongs to the singular. The noun was borrowed from Italian "intarsio," a term for inlaid woodwork, in which pieces of contrasting wood, and later other materials, are fitted into a solid surface to form a picture or pattern. The technique gives the word its meaning: a design built from many small, carefully cut pieces set flush into a background rather than painted onto it.