Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

Embroide1·ies

191

this method of cutting ? ut and resetting colours upon а different gгound. As Vasaгi says: "This he did that the coloгs might not siпk thгougЬ, showing tl1e tint of the cloth on each sidc." But Dг. Rock poiвts опt that it is ha1·dly fair to earlier aгtificers to give the entire credit for this method of work to Botticelli, since such cut work or applique was practised in Italy а hundred уеагs before Botticelli ,vas Ьогn ! Sometimes solid masses of silk or gold thread were laid in 01·dered flatness upon а material, and then sevvn to it Ьу long or short stitches at rigl1t aпgles. Tl1is is known as couching, and is а ve1·y effective way of econo­ mizing material Ьу displaying it all on the sшface. As а rule, however, the surface wears off some,vhat, Ьut it is possiЫe to execute it so tliat it is as dнгаЫе as eшbroidery which has been rendeгed in sepaгatc stitches. In Sicily it was а commoi1 pгactice to нsе согаl iв emb1·oideгies as well as pea1·ls. Coral work is usually called Sicilian WOl'k, thoнgl1 it � r as�_also sometimes execпted in Spain. The garments worn Ьу the Byzantines wеге very ornate; they were made of woveп silk and coveгed witl1 elaborate devices. In the foпrth сеntнгу the Bishop of Amasia ridicнled the extravagaпt drcss of his coп­ temporaries. ""\Vhen men appear in the streets thtш dressed," he says, "tЬе passers Ьу look at theш as at. painted walls. Their clothes аге pictures, wЬicl1 little cl1ildren point онt to one anothe1·. The saintlie1· soгt \Уеаг likenesses of Chгist, the Maпiage of Galilec, апd