A decorative painting technique using varnish or lacquer-like finishes, particularly in German and Central European folk art.
German compound: 'Firnis' (varnish, from Latin vernix) + 'Malerei' (painting, from malen meaning to paint). This term remained primarily in German-speaking art traditions.
Firnismalerei was a beloved peasant art form—creating stunning painted furniture and boxes with glossy varnished finishes—but the technique nearly disappeared until craft revival movements rediscovered it.
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