Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

Int1·oduction

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only with а vie\v to utility; there \vas а populaг bclief that beaнtiful things \Vere expensive, and thc thrifty housekeeper who had no money to рнt into bric-a-Ьrac ncver thought of such things as an artistic lашр shade 01· а well-coloнred soia cнshion. Decorativc агt is well defined Ьу Mr. Rнssell Sturgis: " Fine art applied to the making heautifнl 01· interestiпg that which is made for utilitarian purposes." Many peoplc have ап impression that the more omate ап article is, the тоге ,vork has been laYished нроп it. There neveг ,vas а mOl'e cгroneous idea. ТЬс diligent polish in order to secure nice plain surfaccs, or tЬе neat fitting of parts together, is infinitely шоге difficult than addiпg а florid castiпg to conceal clumsy work­ manship. Of course certaiв forms of claboration involve great pains and labour ; '" Ьнt thc mere fact tliat а piece of ,vork is decorated does поt sho\v that it has cost any more in time and execнtion tlian if it wcre plain, - fгequently тапу hoшs haYe been saved Ьу tЬе device of coveгing нр defects witl1 cheap ornament. How often one finds that а simple chair witl1 а plaiп back costs шоrе tliaп опе whicl1 is apparently elabo- 1·ately cal'ved ! ТЬе reason is, that the plaiп one had to Ье made онt of а dccent pirce of wood, wl1ilc tЬе oгnate one was turned out of а роог piece, and tl1eп stamped with а pattem in Ol'der to attract thc attentioп froш the infcrior material of ,vhicЬ it ,vas composed. Tl1e softer апd рооге1· the wood, the deeper it was possiЫe to stamp it at а single Ыоw. The same principle applies to