Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

Int1·oduction

Vlll

шuch work in metal. Fliшsy Ьits of silVeI'ware stamped ,vith cheap desigпs of flo,vers ш frнits ai·e attached to surfaces badly fiпished, while thc ,voгk iпvolved in шak­ ing such а piecc of plate ,vith а plaiп surface would increase its cost three or foнr times. А craft may easily Ье practised ,vithoпt art, and still serve its purpose; tl1e alliance of the two is а means of giviпg pleasure as well as se1·ving utility. Внt it is а mistake to suppose tlшt because а design is artistic, its technical rendeгing is any tl1e less important. Fre­ quently curious aгticles are palшed off оп us, and designated as "Arts and Crafts" ornaments, in ,vhicl1 neithe1· art nor craft plays its fнll sЬare. A1·t does воt coпsist only in original, unusual, or нnfaшiliar designs; craft does not шеаn hammeгing silver so that the hашшеr marks sЬall sЬo,v; the best art is that ,vhicl1 p1·oduces designs of grace апd appropriateness, ,vЬetЬer they are stгikingly new or not, and tЬе best craftsшan is so skilful that he is аЫе to go beyond the haшme1· ma1·ks, so to speak, and to produce ,vith the lшшше1· а sнrface as smootl1 as, апd far шоrе perfect than, that produced Ьу an emery and Ьurnishe1·. Some people think that '' Arts and Crafts" means а coшblnatioп which allows of poor \York being concealed нnder а mask of resthetic effect. Labouг shoнld not go foгth blindly without агt, and art s11011ld not proceed simply for the attaiпment of beauty ,vitlюut utility, iп otl1er ,vords, there should Ье an alliance between labour апd art. One principle fог whicЬ craftsmen should stand is