Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

Illuminatioн of Books

337

faith sнggests that possiЬly it "·as а hablt of illuшinatoгs to Ье cliary of inforшation, guarding thcir own clis­ coveгies caгefнlly, and only giving out partial diгections to otheгs of theiг craft. In the Bologпese Manuscript, one is directet-I to шаkе а siшple size from incense, \Yhite gum, and sugar candy, disteшpe1·ing it ,vith ,vine; and in anotheг place, to use tl1e ,vhite of egg, ,vhipped with the milk of the fig t1·ee анd po,vdered gнm АгаЬiс. Arшenian Bole is а favourite iвg1·edient. Gum and 1·ose wateг are also p1·escгibed, апd again, gesso, ,vhite of egg, and honey. All of tl1ese гecipes sound conviпciпg, Ьнt if one tгies tlicm to-day, one lias thc douЬtful pleasшc of seeing the caгefully laid gold leaf slide off as sооп as the ,vhole шixture is qнite dry. Especially imргоЬаЫс is the 1·ecipe giveп in the Brнssels Maпuscгipt: " You lay on gold with \Vell gumшed wate1· alone, and this is very good f 01" gilding 011 paгchment. Уон may also use fгesl1 ,vhite of egg or fig juice alone iп the same manneг." Theophilus do . es not devote mнch time 01· space to the art of illuminating, fOI", as he is а buildeг of eveгy­ thiпg from church OI"gans to chalices, glass windo\vs, and even to fгescoed walls, we mнst not expect too much information on minor details. Не does not seem to direct the use of gold leaf at all, but of finely ground gold, which shall Ье applied with its size in the foгm of а paste, to Ье burnished later. Не says (after_ directing that the gold dust shall Ье placed iп а shell) : " Take pure шinium and add to it а thiгd part of cinnibaг, grinding