Definition & Meaning of "brass rubbing"

What is "brass rubbing"?

Brass rubbing is an art technique used to capture the engraved designs on brass plates, often found in churches or historical sites, by transferring the design onto paper. To create a brass rubbing, a sheet of paper is placed over the engraved brass plate, and then rubbed with a crayon, wax, or charcoal, which fills in the indentations, revealing the design on the paper. This method is commonly used to preserve images of historical engravings, such as those depicting people, coats of arms, or decorative patterns.