Dec 18, 2016 09:49
7 yrs ago
10 viewers *
French term
cimaises
French to English
Art/Literary
Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting
museum display
This comes from the description of a museum exhibition. The term cimaise appears a few times, but I'm a little stuck on its use in this particular sentence:
"La galerie au décor minéral était toute indiquée pour abriter la promenade qui se déploie
entre les hautes **cimaises** de verdures."
It's just a sentence in a long list of short descriptions, so the rest of the surrounding text is unrelated, but refers to the strolls people would take through the gardens.
Here's another example where the word "tapissées" suggests it refers more to the walls themselves: "Pour la chasse, l’espace est celui d’une clairière, lieu de rendez-vous et de départ d’un laisser-courre et les **cimaises tapissées** d’un fond naturel donnent l’illusion de la vitesse et des cavalcades dans les sous-bois."
I've come across various definitions of cimaises, the most common being picture rails, picture hanging systems, gallery rods, moulding, exhibition panels, and even the more figurative "gallery walls" (which is what I used for the second example).
But I'm a bit thrown off by this notion of "hautes cimaises de verdure". I'm trying to imagine what this looks like, perhaps greenery hung from picture rails high up on the gallery walls? It might be easier to figure out if I had a picture, but since I can't go to the exhibit myself, was hoping some art/museum specialists might have some idea...
Thanks in advance!
"La galerie au décor minéral était toute indiquée pour abriter la promenade qui se déploie
entre les hautes **cimaises** de verdures."
It's just a sentence in a long list of short descriptions, so the rest of the surrounding text is unrelated, but refers to the strolls people would take through the gardens.
Here's another example where the word "tapissées" suggests it refers more to the walls themselves: "Pour la chasse, l’espace est celui d’une clairière, lieu de rendez-vous et de départ d’un laisser-courre et les **cimaises tapissées** d’un fond naturel donnent l’illusion de la vitesse et des cavalcades dans les sous-bois."
I've come across various definitions of cimaises, the most common being picture rails, picture hanging systems, gallery rods, moulding, exhibition panels, and even the more figurative "gallery walls" (which is what I used for the second example).
But I'm a bit thrown off by this notion of "hautes cimaises de verdure". I'm trying to imagine what this looks like, perhaps greenery hung from picture rails high up on the gallery walls? It might be easier to figure out if I had a picture, but since I can't go to the exhibit myself, was hoping some art/museum specialists might have some idea...
Thanks in advance!
Proposed translations
(English)
3 | pathways | Jonathan Cohen |
Proposed translations
1 day 4 hrs
pathways
Declined
Yes, I was going to say, it's the space between and can be any type of version of this, a path, a space, a way etc...
Discussion
<p>With regard to verdures, you say you’re thinking of ‘greenery hung from…’, which I understand to mean ‘real hanging plants’. However, have you seen this entry for verdure in ATILF : "P. méton. Tapisserie à verdure(s)/de verdure ou, p. ell., verdure (de Flandres, etc.). Tapisserie représentant principalement un ensemble de végétaux. Tendu de verdure(s)."
<p>Could it be that your text speaks of tall exhibition panels covered with tapestries (?)/wallpaper (?) with a flower-inspired design/pattern?
So it almost sounds like my text is referring to these hedges, though not sure I can take the liberty of just using that word. Maybe "tall walls of greenery" or something like that, if I stick with the notion of Le Nôtre training the hedges to showcase the statues?
The expression "cimaises de verdures" is used here, in relation to an exhibition, referring to the gardens of Versailles, and appears to refer to a kind of display panel or display space of greenery for displaying statuary (though I may be misunderstanding it):
"Le Nôtre et les jardins de Versailles : du land art avant l'heure
[...]
Jardinier, oui, mais pour élaguer des dénivelés, tailler des allées majestueuses, planter des parterres d'eau dans l'axe des perspectives, bouturer des fontaines au détour d'un bosquet, palisser des cimaises de verdure destinées à mettre en valeur les statues."
http://www.telerama.fr/scenes/le-notre-et-les-jardins-de-ver...
http://www.wordreference.com/fren/cimaises
http://www.wordreference.com/fren/cime
I believe the author is comparing the natural environment to a museum with its green and leafy picture rails and wall hangings .... you will have to find a way to blend the two in English.