Azhur - it's beautiful. Word meaning, usage examples

The peak of the popularity of the French language in Russia fell on the XVIII-XIX century, it was at this time in the colloquial Russian speech a lot of French words appeared. They could not not leak out with such an abundance of French tutors, dance teachers and good manners. A curious Russian mind harmoniously intertwines new words into everyday vocabulary, creating new expressive images. For example, azhur - this is the French word. It came to us along with fashionable dresses, delicate stockings and lace accessories.

Origin and meaning of the word "openwork"

The French word ajour (or ajourer) literally means "making through". This concept was widely spread in the early nineteenth century, and this is easily explained.

What in our life can be delicate:

• Fabrics, wardrobe items and accessories;
• jewelry;
• Some elements of architectural structures.

In addition, this word is often mentally referred to as phraseology, and the adjective "delicate" is used in a literary speech to describe a special kind of shadows, clouds, cobwebs and so on. It turns out that the ajour is anything, having a certain through pattern with a lot of holes.

Fabrics, lace, knitting

Textile openwork products can be of varying degrees of transparency. For example, guipure is usually used for elegant dresses of simple cut, not overloaded with details. Decorative role here is played not by the fanciful configuration of the product, but underlined simple lines that do not distract attention from the beauty of the material itself. If the through holes are large enough, then the dress is made on lining fabric.

Even before the appearance of French openwork fabrics in Russia, they had their own similar products of varying degrees of complexity. The usual shaving, when a transverse thread was pulled out of the cloth, and then the share was pulled, forming holes, decorated the hem of the sarafans very much. Openwork knitted shawls at all times were considered a special accessory, and lace is a more complicated option. Thus, an openwork is a special interlacing of threads, through which a translucent pattern is formed.

Jewelry

High level of skill of the jeweler is an elegant lace made of silver, gold or platinum wire. This pattern looks airy and elegant in different ornaments. There are many different ways of working with precious metals, allowing you to create an elegant openwork. This gives an opportunity to differently beat the texture of metal and stones.

Well look volumetric earrings, made in openwork technology. The weight of such products does not delay the lap due to a well thought-through through texture. Sometimes an openwork is used as an option for securing natural pearls, so as not to make a hole in the precious pearl - it is placed in a large-celled gold "cage".

Openwork in the design of buildings and structures

The very idea of a pattern with through holes is not limited solely to decorations and objects of the wardrobe. In construction, since ancient times, decorative techniques have been used, which make it possible to construct all kinds of translucent structures - light curly gratings, more like elegant decoration, can also perform utilitarian functions in parallel.

A good example is masterpieces of artistic forging, when a light but extremely strong openwork is made of metal. Photos of chic openwork gates and handmade fencing elements are becoming a highlight of the portfolio of well-known landscape design specialists.

The ancient palaces, decorated with stone lace, are reflected in modern buildings. Reinforced concrete panels with a through pattern were used even in the USSR. This greatly simplifies the design, and in some cases not only looks original, but also allows you to solve pressing operational problems. For example, to create a massive, but still transparent, septum without the use of glazing.

Figurative sense

Many words in Russian are used not only in the literal sense. For example, the portable meaning of the concept of openwork - "everything is in order." When they say "all in a jade", you can have in mind generally a good state of things or a successfully completed difficult business. Why did this phraseology take root?

Perhaps the reason is a rather high price of openwork fabrics, which in ancient times were made by hand. Only rich people could afford an outfit from such a material, it showed a high social position. In a similar sense, and for the same reason, the phrase "everything in chocolate" is used.

In literary texts, metaphors and comparisons are often used for the "convexity" of descriptions. The lacy shadow of the trees, the delicate web, diamond dew-drops and other spectacular images allow not only to create a picture of the landscape, but also to be imbued with the appropriate mood. In business and official speech, such comparisons are inappropriate, but in art and conversation are quite acceptable.