Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

CHAPTER III

ENA:М:EJ"

" Oh, thou discгeetcst of гeaders," says Benvenuto Cellini, "шагvеl not that I have given so шuch tiшc to ,Yriting аЬонt all this," апd ,vc fcel like шakiпg tl1e sашс apology fог devoting а ,vlюlc clшptcr to спашеl; but this bгancl1 of tl1e goldsmith's агt lшs so шаnу sub­ divisions, that jt cries fог space. Thc ,voгd Enaшel is deгiYcd fгom vaгious soшces. The Gгeck languagc Ьаs contгibutcd "шaltha," to шclt; tl1e Geгman " scllmeltz," tl1e old Fгench " esmajl," and the Italiaп "smalta," all шeaning аЬопt tl1c sаше thing, and sнggesting the one quality " т l1ich is insepaгaЫe fгош свашеl of all natioпs ашl of all ages, - its fusiЬility. For it is al,vays employed in а fluid state, ancl always nшst Ье. Enamel is а type of glass prodнct reduced to powdeг, and then melted Ьу fervent heS-t iпto а liquid condition, which, when it has haгdened, returns to its vitreuus state. Enamel has been used fromvery early times. The first allusion to it is Ьу Philostratus, in tlle year 200 А. D., ,vheгe he described thc process as applied to tЪе armour of his day. "The barbaгians of thc гegioпs of tl1e ocean," 91