trencadís
/tɾəŋkəˈðis/
CA
A decorative mosaic technique made from broken pieces of ceramic, tile, glass, or pottery, often used in public and architectural art
Antoni Gaudí famously used trencadís in many of his iconic Barcelona buildings.
Antoni Gaudí famously used the trencadís mosaic technique in many of his iconic buildings in Barcelona.
Etymology
The word comes from Catalan trencar, meaning 'to break', referring to the use of broken materials in the technique. It entered English art vocabulary in the 20th century through interest in Antoni Gaudí's architectural works.
Memory Aid
The word sounds like 'trenched' — think of broken pieces fitted into trenches (indentations) in the architectural surface to make the mosaic.
Collocations
trencadís mosaictrencadís techniquetrencadís decorationGaudí trencadís
Related Words
mosaicceramictilegaudícatalonia