DOI Heft:
No. 98 (May, 1901)
DOI Artikel:Fisher, Alexander: The art of true enamelling upon metals, [1]
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19787#0291
Enamelling
time onward we meet with enamel plaques done
per se.
In Christian times—probably as early as the
eighth century—the Irish, from a craftsman's
standpoint, employed enamel processes with re-
markable success; and I wish to draw great
attention to the unusual beauty of the interlaced
patterns in their goldwork and silverwork, the
work, the chief characteristic of which is a sim-
plicity of shape and contour that contrasts
admirably with the utmost elaboration and delicate
intricacy of design. This, to my mind, gives their
art a truly wonderful fascination ; the style is so
gallantly restrained, yet with so much life and
vigour and ease. This Irish enamelling, specimens
of which are to be seen in the Celtic room at the
British Museum, was applied in a larger way to
shields, helmets, fibula?, and horse-trappings; as
far as can be ascertained now, the enamels used
were opaque. I should like to dwell upon this
beautiful Celtic art, but it has really more to do
with goldsmithing than with enamelling.
Byzantium and Ireland were long the two centres
of learning, and in art they were unrivalled for the
beauty of their enamels in cloisonne and champleve
The delicacy, the preciousness of their work is in
many cases beyond praise. In form, in drawing,
to be sure, there is a lack of the symmetry and
grace that we find in the intaglio of the early
Etruscans ; but the work has a form, an ex-
pression, a magic, peculiarly right in champleve
enamelling. The graduated colouring between the
metal lines, the tones of the whites, the yellows,
and, indeed, of all the colours, are as beautiful as
Persian tiles or as plates of Damascus. All these
enamels have a kinship of colour, and here it
will be noticed that the fructifying, influence was
oriental.
Some of the greatest charms of Byzantine work
are due to the fact that the enamels are applied
to metal in such a way that they seem to be a
sort of natural metallic growth. In the gold jewels
the fine gold straps keep the parts together in a
manner as artistic as it is technical; the enamel
and the metal are ground to the same level; and
the polish on the enamel is of a piece with that on
the metal's surface. Also it is worth noting that
this deliberate choice of a most subtle surface
proves, beyond doubt, that the Byzantine artists
had a keen and wise appreciation of the refine-
ments of their exquisite material.
(To be continued.)
JEWEL CASKET IN ENAMELLED COPPER (XVII. CENTURY) BY JEAN LIMOUSIN
2S4
time onward we meet with enamel plaques done
per se.
In Christian times—probably as early as the
eighth century—the Irish, from a craftsman's
standpoint, employed enamel processes with re-
markable success; and I wish to draw great
attention to the unusual beauty of the interlaced
patterns in their goldwork and silverwork, the
work, the chief characteristic of which is a sim-
plicity of shape and contour that contrasts
admirably with the utmost elaboration and delicate
intricacy of design. This, to my mind, gives their
art a truly wonderful fascination ; the style is so
gallantly restrained, yet with so much life and
vigour and ease. This Irish enamelling, specimens
of which are to be seen in the Celtic room at the
British Museum, was applied in a larger way to
shields, helmets, fibula?, and horse-trappings; as
far as can be ascertained now, the enamels used
were opaque. I should like to dwell upon this
beautiful Celtic art, but it has really more to do
with goldsmithing than with enamelling.
Byzantium and Ireland were long the two centres
of learning, and in art they were unrivalled for the
beauty of their enamels in cloisonne and champleve
The delicacy, the preciousness of their work is in
many cases beyond praise. In form, in drawing,
to be sure, there is a lack of the symmetry and
grace that we find in the intaglio of the early
Etruscans ; but the work has a form, an ex-
pression, a magic, peculiarly right in champleve
enamelling. The graduated colouring between the
metal lines, the tones of the whites, the yellows,
and, indeed, of all the colours, are as beautiful as
Persian tiles or as plates of Damascus. All these
enamels have a kinship of colour, and here it
will be noticed that the fructifying, influence was
oriental.
Some of the greatest charms of Byzantine work
are due to the fact that the enamels are applied
to metal in such a way that they seem to be a
sort of natural metallic growth. In the gold jewels
the fine gold straps keep the parts together in a
manner as artistic as it is technical; the enamel
and the metal are ground to the same level; and
the polish on the enamel is of a piece with that on
the metal's surface. Also it is worth noting that
this deliberate choice of a most subtle surface
proves, beyond doubt, that the Byzantine artists
had a keen and wise appreciation of the refine-
ments of their exquisite material.
(To be continued.)
JEWEL CASKET IN ENAMELLED COPPER (XVII. CENTURY) BY JEAN LIMOUSIN
2S4