Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

Enamel

99

of tгansluccnt enamels in 1·elief may Ье seen on several of the reliquaries at Aix la Chapelle. Theophilus gives us directions for rnaking а very огваtе chalice with liandles, richly embossed анd orna­ шented with niello. Another paгagraph instrнcts us how to make а golden chalice decoгated with precious stones and pcaгls. It ,vould Ье iвteгesting as а nюclern ргоЫеm, to follow minнtely his directions, авd to build the actual chalice descгibed in the eleventh cen­ tury. То apply the gems and peaгls Theophilus di1·ects us to " снt picces like straps," which you " bend to­ gether to make small settings of them, Ьу whicl1 the stones may Ье enclosed." ТЬеsе little settings, ,vith their stones, are to Ье fixed with flour paste in their places and then warmed over the coals нntil tl1ey adherc. This sounds а little risky, but ,ve fancy he must have succeedcd, and, indecd, it seeшs to have been the usual way of setting stones in the early centuries. Filigree flowers аге then to Ье added, and thc ,vhole soldered into place in а most pгimitiYe manner, banking the coals " in the shape of а small furnace, so that the coals may lie thickly around the circumfеrенсе," анd ,vheп the solder " flo,vs about as if пndulating," th'e artist is to sprinkle it quickly ,vith water, and take it out of tl1e fire. Niello, with wliich the chalice of Theophilus is also to Ье enriched, stands in relation to the more beautiful art of enamel, as drawing does to painting, and it is well to consider it here. Both the Romans and the