Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

Gold and Silver

13

done, - still, соте along, - we'll try to go on as we started! '' Soшetiшes embossing was done Ьу thin sheets of metal being pressed on to а wooden carving prepared for the purpose, so tl1at the result would Ье а raised silver patteгn 1 which, when filled нр with pitch or lead, would pass for а saшple of repousse ,vork. I пееd hardly say that а still simpler mechanical forш of pressing obtains on cheap silve1· to-day. So much for the mechanical processes of treating these metals. " т е ,vill now ехашiпе some of the great historic examples, and glance at the lives of promineвt workers in gold and silve1· in the past. One of the most bl'illiaнt times fог the production of works of art in gold and silver, was ,vheн Constaпtine, uроп becomiпg Chгistiaп, moved tl1e seat of goverп­ meпt to Byzaпtium. Byzantine ornament lends itself especially to sucl1 ,vOl'k. Tl1e l1istinguisl1iнg шark Ьеt\\·еен tl1e eai·lier G1·eek je,vellers апd the Byzantiпe was: that the fОl'шег considel'ed chicfly line, forш, and delicacy of ,vorkmanship, while the latte1· were led to expгessioв througl1 colour анd textшe, авd not fineнess of finish. Tl1e Byzantine eшperors loved gold in а lavisl1 way and on а superb scale. Tl1ey \Уеге not content ,vitl1 cl1aste 1·ings and necklets, or even with golden cro,vns. Tl1e royal thrones were of gold; their ю·шош ,vas deco­ rated with the p1·ecious metal, and their chariots enriched in the same ,vay. Even the houses of the 1·ich people