Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

A1·ts and C1·af'ts in tЬе l\Iiddle Ages

4

Many of tl1c g1·eat art schools of the :Мiddle Ages ,vere estaЫished in connection ,vith the nншеrонs monastcries sca.ttcгed through all tl1e European countries and in Englaпd. The Rule of St. Beпedict rings truc coнcerniпg the propcr consecration of an artist: " If thei·e Ье artists iн the moш1ste1·y, let theш exercise their crafts witl1 all hнmility апd reverence, provided the abbot shall liave orde1·ed them. Внt if any of tl1em Ье proнd of the skill he hath in his craft, because l1e thereby seemetl1 to gaiн something for the monastery, let him Ье l'eшoved from it and not exel'cise it again, unless, after hшнЫing llimself, tl1e abbot shall peгmit Ыm." Craft witlюut graft was the keyпote of шediwval art. Кing Alfrcd had а monastic art school at Atl1elney, in which he had collected " monks of all kinds f1·ош every quai·ter." Tllis accoнnts fol' the Greek type of ,vork tшned онt at this time, and very likely for Italian influences in ea1·ly B1·itish art. The king was active in craft work himself, fo1· Asser tells us that he "contiпued, during his frequent wars, to teach his workers in gold and artificers of all kinds." The quaint old encyclop[edia of Bartholomew Anglicus, called, " The Properties of Things," defines gold and silver in an origiпal ,vay, according to the beliefs of this writer's day. Не says of gold, that " in the composition there is more sadness of brimstone than of air and moisture of quicksilver, and tllerefore gold is шоrе sad апd heavy thaп silver." Of silver he remarks,