Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

100 Arts and Cгafts in t.he Middle Ages

Anglo-Saxons understood its use. It has been шnployed as an art ever since the sixth and seventl1 centшies. The term 1 ' niello " рrоЬаЫу is an abbreviation of the Italian word " nigellнs " (Ыасk); the art is that of inlaying an engraved surface with а Ыасk paste, which is thorougbly duraЬle and hard as the metal itself in most cases, the only diffeгence being iн flexiЫlity; if the metal plate is bent, the niello will сгасk and flake off. Niello is шоrе than siшply а drawing 011 metal. That would соте under the head of engraving. А graver is used to cut out the design on t.Ье surface of the silver, which is simply а polished plane. When the drawing has been thus incised, а Ыасk enamcl, made of lead, lamp Ыасk, and other substances, is filled into the inteгstices, and rubbed in; when qнite dry and hard, this is polished. The result is а Ыасk enamel which is then fused into the silver, so tЬat the whole is one surface, and the decoration becomes part of the original plate. The process as described Ьу Theophilus is as follows: " Compose the niello in this manner; take pure silver and divide it into equal paгts, adding to it а third part of pure copper, and taking yello,v sulphur, break it very small ... and wheп you have liquefied the silver with the copper, stir it evenly with charcoal, and instantly pour into it lead and sulphur." This nicllo paste is then шаdе into а stick, and heated нntil 1 ' it glows: theп v'rith aпother forceps, long and thin, hold the niello and rub it all over the places which y9u wish to make Ыасk, until the drawing Ье full, and