Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

12 Arts and Crafts in tl1e :М:iddle Ages

as to form designs with an inteгesting and varied sur­ face. Filigree is quite common still, and any one who has walked down the steep street of the Goldsmiths in Genoa is faшiliar with most of its moderв forms. Cellini says: "Though many have practised the art without making drawings first, Ьссанsе thc material in which they worked was so easily haвdled and so pliaЫe, yet those who made their draV\'ings first did the best ,York. Now give ear to the way the агt is pursued." Не then directs that the craftsman shall have ready three sizes of wire, and sоше little gold graвules, ,Yhicl1 аге made Ьу cutting the short lengths of '\\·ire, and tЬев subjccting them to fervent heat нntil they becomc as little round beads. Не then explains ho,Y tl1e artificer must t,Yist and mould the delicate wires, and tastily apply the little granules, so as to make а gгacefнl design, usually of some floriate form. ,vhen the wire flowers авd leaves wcre foгmed satisfactorily, а ,Yash of gum traga­ canth should Ье applied, to hold them in place until tlш fiвal soldering. The soldeг \Yas in powdered form, and it '\\'as to Ье dusted on " just as шuch as шау sпffice, . . . and not more," ... this aшount of soldeг could only Ье determined Ьу the experience of the artist,. Thcn came the firing of the finished ,Уогk in the little fшnace; Benvenuto is here qнite at а loss how to explain himself; "Тоо much heat woпld move the wires you have woven опt of place," he says, " really it is qнite impossiЫe to tel1 it properly in wгiting; I coнld explain it all right Ьу ,vord of mouth, or better still, show you how it is