Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

Introdпction

Xll

have been those who l1ave recognized the limitations of the material which they employed. Some of tl1e cleverest have been beguiled Ьу the fascination of over­ coming obstacles, into trying to шаkс iron do the things appropriate only to \Yood, ог to force cast b1·onze into the similitude of а picture, ог to discount all the creclit due to а fiпe piece of ешЬгоidе1-у Ьу trying to make it арреаг like а paiпting. But these are tl1e exotics; they аге the craft sшen who l1ave been led astгay Ьу а fa]se impulse, ,vlю respect difficulty шоrс than appгop1·iateness, ,vаг гathe1· thaп реасе ! No elaborate and tortпred piece of Cellini's work сап сошраrе with the digнified gloгy of the Pala d'Ого; Ghiberti's gates in Florence, though а ша1теllонs tour de force, are not so satisfying as the gгeat согопа can­ delabrum of Hildesheiш. As а гнlс, ,ve sl1all fincl tЬat medi::eval сгаftsшen \Yere betteг aгtists thaп those of the Renaissaпce, for ,vitl1 facility in tl1e use of mateгial, comes al,vays the temptation to шаkс it imitate sоше other material, thus losing its iвdividuality Ьу а con­ tortion which may Ье cuгioпs апd inteгesting, Ьпt out of place. "\Ve all enjoy seeing acrobats оп tl1e stage, but it would Ье painfнl to see tI1eш curling iп апd out of our dra,ving-rooш chairs. The trпe spiгit ,Yhich the Aгts and Crafts is trying to inculcate ,vas found in Floreпce ,vhen the great artists tнrned their attention to the шanipнlation of objects of daily use, Benvenнto Cellini being williпg to make salt-cellaгs, and Sansovino to woгk оп inkstands, and