International studio (19.1903)

of his day with two new processes, by means of one
or the other of which were produced all the examples
of his work here reproduced. To these the names
have been given of the "Patina" and "Crystal Mar-
quetry " processes. The former, as M. Galld has him-
self explained, includes all the results obtained by
the action produced on the dough-like mass of
tnoiten glass in accordance with their chemical con-
stituents, the more or less prolonged duration of the
operation of fusing, the chemical constituents of
the atmosphere ot the furnace, the nature of the
emanations from it, etc., etc. The transparency
varies according ho the deposits, or according to
what may be calied a sort'of superhcial devitrihca-
tion, resultinjg in a chemical deposit of an ophelic
character, differing in its properties of dilation from
those of the original nucleus. It is this matrix which
is utiiised as a new basis for ornamentation.
It is also, to a certain extent, due to accidentai
combinations in the preliminary tempering of the
clay that M. Galle obtains his effects resembling
textile fabrics or skins, as well as the more subtle
resemblances to fogs, snow or rain. In a word,
with rare and happy skill he catches pretty well

every Heeting aspect of nature which can be trans-
lated into material form, and happens to take his
fancy. Sometimes he incorporates in his glass
what the Germans call a —that is to say,
he engraves on it some well-known literary quota-
tion. The clouds which roll across the inHnite
spaces of heaven, the translucent green waves of
the sea, beneath which spread the Hoating, tress-
like branches of the Howers of the deep, the azure
beams of the rising moon as they caress the sur-
face of the ocean, the russet leaves whirling in
the autumn wind, the mysterious gloom of the
forest depths, every fugitive mood of nature is
caught and hxed in the ethereal forms evoked by
the genius of this remarkable artist.
The second of the new processes, that of "Crystal
Marquetry," enables the artist to multiply still more
his effects of colour. He is no longer content with
superposing in his designs one engraved layer upon
another, although by its means he has obtained
very excellent results; he now introduces into the
molten vitreous mass, when still in the condition of
paste, actual dabs of colour, very much as an
artist does upon his canvas, and inserts in these
dabs lamellte of glass, arranging
them like the pieces of a stained
glass window — truly anything
but an easy process, for it necessi-
tates a series of successive
heatings, in the course of which
a great deal depends upon the
workman to whom the task of
applying them is entrusted. It
is not merely a case for manual
dexterity; he has to watch most
carefully the effects obtained by
the action of the furnace; he
has often, in fact, to take the
initiative, and he himself becomes
for the nonce a creator, in the
same sense as did each one of
the weavers of Merton Abbey, to
whont William Morris left the
choice of the colours to be used
in his tapestries.
It may, therefore, indeed be
claimed for M. Galle that he has
widened the field even of such
masters of the craft as the glass-
makers of Murano and of Bohe-
mia; he has not merely de-
veloped the processes already
in use, he has discovered and
utilised entirely new ones. The