Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

31 О A1·ts апd Сгаfts in tl1e l\Iiddle Ages

Iпstead of an artist, ,vorkiвg in square Ьits of glass to carry out his design, tЬ1·0,ving his interest and personality into the ,vшk, а labourer si ts leisнrely befоге а large cartoon, оп ,vЬicl1 l1e glнes pieces of mosaic the pre­ scгibed соlош ancl size, mechaпically fitting them over the design uвtil it is coшpletcly coveгed. Then this sheet of paper, \Yith the nюsaic glued to it, is slapped on to tЬе plaster wall, having the stones next to the plaster, so that, until it is clry, all tЬat сап Ье seen is the sheet of paper аррагснtlу fixed он tЬе ,vall. But lo ! the grand t,1·ansformatioп ! The рарег is ,vasl1ed off, leav­ ing in place the finisЬed pгoduct - а vегу accurate imi­ tation of tl1e pictшe on ,vhicli tl1e aгtist laboured, all in place in the "'all, еvегу stonc eveвly set as if it had been polished - entiгely missing the charm of the iпеgнlаг faceted effect of an old mosaic - again mecЬaнical facility kills the spiгit of an агt. Much carly mosaic, known as Cosшati Work, is inlaid into шагЫе, iв geoшetгic dcsigns; t,visted colнmns of this class of ,vork may Ье sееп in profusioв in Rome, and the fa9ade of Oгvieto is siшilaгly decoгated. Ош illustration ,vill demonstгate tlie technical process as ,vell as а descгiption. ТЬе шosaic base of Ed,vard the Confessoг's shrine is inscгibed to the effect tlшt it was wгought Ьу Peter of Rome. It was а digпified specimen of the best Cos­ шati. All the gold glass which once played its part in �l1e scheme of decoration has been picked out, and in fact шost of the pieces iп the patterп are missing.