| a type of ornamentation imitating pierced and interlaced straps or bands, usually forming a geometric pattern. |
strap·work  (strāp'wûrk') n. Decorative work, popular in northern Europe in the 16th and early 17th centuries, consisting of interlacing straplike bands, often used in low relief on ceilings, screens, and panels. |
strapwork
decorative motif, in flat relief, consisting variously of interlaced scrollwork, braiding, shield forms, or cross-hatching, often pierced with circular or oval holes. At times strapwork is bordered with a raised fillet (band). The whole design is usually formed of connected units, all on the same plane, as though made by an elaborately cut and pierced strap that has been applied to a flat surface. Strapwork is usually done in wood, metal, or plaster, although stone has been used occasionally, as in the Salzhaus at Frankfurt am Main (late 16th century).
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