DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62783#0033
IN FRESCO PAINTING.
xxiii
is unnecessary to repeat the extracts already given from Cennino,
Borghini, and Baldinucci. These authors have proved that the Lapis
Amatita was used as a burnishing tool; I shall now prove that the
Hcematite was formerly, and is at the present time, used for this pur-
pose, and thus establish their identity.
Eraclius calls the stone used in polishing “ Emantes.” Theophilus,
in his Treatise on various Arts, chap, xxxi, says, “ polies illud dente
vel lapide sanguinario diligenter limato et polito super tabulam cor-
neam eequal em ac lucidam,”—translated,—“You must polish it with
a tooth, or with a bloodstone, lapide sanguinario, carefully filed and
polished upon a smooth and shining horn table.” The author of the
additional chapters appended by Raspe to the first book of Theophi-
lus, directs that gold should be burnished with “ emate,” and in cap.
xxxv. says, “ Deinde limpidissima petra vel onychino aut emate vel
simili re convenit scripturam detergere, quod sic et soliditatem accipit
et fulgorem vel colorem,” i. e —“ It is then proper to clean the writing
with a very transparent stone, or with an onyx, or with emate, or
with some such thing, and thus it receives both solidity and brilliancy
or colour.” M. Le Comte Charles de L’ Escalopier adds by way of
note to the first of these passages, “ scribendum videtur hie et
c. 35 ematite,”—“I think it should be written ematite both here and
at cap. 35.” He also adds in another note on the word emate
“ Nous ne doutons pas qu’ il s’agisse de la sanguine, lapis sanguina-
rius, qu’ il ne faille lire ematite.” Haematite, (Theoph. p. 290).
Benvenuto Cellini (Opere, vol. iii. p. 14,) polished gold “ pigliando
un amatita nera (dark) che son quello che adoperano gli spadai metter
d’ oro.” This passage immediately recalls the beforementioned ex-
pressions of Borghini and Baldinucci. M. de Brongniart (Traite
des Arts Ceramiques, &c., p. 646,) informs us that in the manufac-
tory of porcelain at Sevres, gold is still burnished with the “ hcematite
dure,” which the workmen call “ sanguine.” And in the Magazine
of Science, vol. i. p. 206, it is said, “ Bloodstone a is a very hard
a There is another mineral called Bloodstone, namely the heliotrope or quartz,
jaspe-sanguin of Haiiy. “ It is mostly of a deep green colour, and commonly
yellow or blood-red spots are interspersed through its substance. From the lat-
ter circumstance it has obtained the name of Bloodstone.”—Phillips’ Min., p. 15.
By this colour it is sufficiently distinguished from the Haematite.
xxiii
is unnecessary to repeat the extracts already given from Cennino,
Borghini, and Baldinucci. These authors have proved that the Lapis
Amatita was used as a burnishing tool; I shall now prove that the
Hcematite was formerly, and is at the present time, used for this pur-
pose, and thus establish their identity.
Eraclius calls the stone used in polishing “ Emantes.” Theophilus,
in his Treatise on various Arts, chap, xxxi, says, “ polies illud dente
vel lapide sanguinario diligenter limato et polito super tabulam cor-
neam eequal em ac lucidam,”—translated,—“You must polish it with
a tooth, or with a bloodstone, lapide sanguinario, carefully filed and
polished upon a smooth and shining horn table.” The author of the
additional chapters appended by Raspe to the first book of Theophi-
lus, directs that gold should be burnished with “ emate,” and in cap.
xxxv. says, “ Deinde limpidissima petra vel onychino aut emate vel
simili re convenit scripturam detergere, quod sic et soliditatem accipit
et fulgorem vel colorem,” i. e —“ It is then proper to clean the writing
with a very transparent stone, or with an onyx, or with emate, or
with some such thing, and thus it receives both solidity and brilliancy
or colour.” M. Le Comte Charles de L’ Escalopier adds by way of
note to the first of these passages, “ scribendum videtur hie et
c. 35 ematite,”—“I think it should be written ematite both here and
at cap. 35.” He also adds in another note on the word emate
“ Nous ne doutons pas qu’ il s’agisse de la sanguine, lapis sanguina-
rius, qu’ il ne faille lire ematite.” Haematite, (Theoph. p. 290).
Benvenuto Cellini (Opere, vol. iii. p. 14,) polished gold “ pigliando
un amatita nera (dark) che son quello che adoperano gli spadai metter
d’ oro.” This passage immediately recalls the beforementioned ex-
pressions of Borghini and Baldinucci. M. de Brongniart (Traite
des Arts Ceramiques, &c., p. 646,) informs us that in the manufac-
tory of porcelain at Sevres, gold is still burnished with the “ hcematite
dure,” which the workmen call “ sanguine.” And in the Magazine
of Science, vol. i. p. 206, it is said, “ Bloodstone a is a very hard
a There is another mineral called Bloodstone, namely the heliotrope or quartz,
jaspe-sanguin of Haiiy. “ It is mostly of a deep green colour, and commonly
yellow or blood-red spots are interspersed through its substance. From the lat-
ter circumstance it has obtained the name of Bloodstone.”—Phillips’ Min., p. 15.
By this colour it is sufficiently distinguished from the Haematite.