Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

190 Arts and Crafts in the Middle A g es

Round about to place golden border�, А narrow and а broader one, ,vith stags and hinds lifelike."

А study of historic embгoidery should Ье preceded Ьу а geneгal kno,vledge of the pгinciple stitches employed. One of tl1e simplest forms ,vas chain stitch, in which one stitch was takcn thгough the loop of the stitch just laid. In the :Мiddle Ages it was often used. Some­ times, ,vhen the material was of а loose weave, it was execнted Ьу means of а little hook - the рrоЬаЫе origin of crochet. , . Tapestry stitch, of ,vllich one b1·anch is cross-stitch, was foгmed Ьу layiпg close single stitches of uniforш size upon а cunvas specially prepared fог this work. Fine embroidery in silk ,vas usually executed in long sшooth stitclles of iпegular length, ,vhich merged into each other. This is geneгally known as satiп stitch, for the surfасе of the work is that of а satin texture when tl1e ,vork is coшpleted. This ,vas f1·equently executed t1pon linen, and then, when the entirc surface had been hidden Ьу tl1e close silk stitchcs, it was cut out and trans­ fe1тed on а brocadc background, this style of renderiпg beiпg known as applique. Botticelli 1·ecommended this ,v01·k as most duraЫe and satisfactory: it is ofteпest' associatcd ,vith church embгoidery. А simple applique "'as also done Ьу cutting out picccs of one mateгial ::шd applying them to anotlier, hiding the edgc-joinings Ьу couching on а cord. As an iшprovement uроп paiпtecl Ьапnегs to Ье нscd iп pгocessioпs, Botticelli intгoduccd