DOI Heft:
Nr. 121 (April 1903)
DOI Artikel:Fisher, Alexander: The art of painted enamels
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19878#0182
Painted Enamels
sance—as of aesthetic intention, and realisation of embodiments in colour of the intensity of beauty—
the true expression of the material substance and these are at hand waiting for expression in enamel,
its capacities, as experienced by the artist. The With a few great exceptions, to which I have already
"Limoges "enamel is not a true expression of enamel, referred, I do not find in the old Limoges work
The great majority of these old enamels have no any true appreciation of such qualities, neither are
raison d'etre. For they could have been done they to be found in modern French enamels, most
equally well in other materials not nearly so difficult of which are slavish copies of the dead methods
of achievement. The high quality of enamel, as and aims of this period of work. But what I do
differentiating it from all other substances employed find are, generally, modulated drawings in white
in the arts, is the great power of its unrivalled enamel upon a black ground, or these black-and-
colour, and the unlimited variety of its qualities, white shaded drawings coloured with flat washes of
All the bewildering surfaces, all the depths and transparent enamel. Sometimes these are height-
lovelinesses that lie darkly in the waters of sea- ened by the introduction of pieces of intensely
caves, all the glistening lustre of gleaming gold bright enamels upon foil, which have no relation in
or silver back and fin of fish, the velvet of the the scheme, and no sense of " value" whatsoever,
purple sea anemone, the jewelled brilliance of In point of fact there is an utter lack of under-
sunshine on snow, the hardness greater than that standing of the beautiful artistic qualities of
of marble, the flame of sunset, indeed, the very enamel. On the other hand, however, the works
PORTRAIT IN ENAMEL ON COPPER
BY ALEXANDER FISHEK
sance—as of aesthetic intention, and realisation of embodiments in colour of the intensity of beauty—
the true expression of the material substance and these are at hand waiting for expression in enamel,
its capacities, as experienced by the artist. The With a few great exceptions, to which I have already
"Limoges "enamel is not a true expression of enamel, referred, I do not find in the old Limoges work
The great majority of these old enamels have no any true appreciation of such qualities, neither are
raison d'etre. For they could have been done they to be found in modern French enamels, most
equally well in other materials not nearly so difficult of which are slavish copies of the dead methods
of achievement. The high quality of enamel, as and aims of this period of work. But what I do
differentiating it from all other substances employed find are, generally, modulated drawings in white
in the arts, is the great power of its unrivalled enamel upon a black ground, or these black-and-
colour, and the unlimited variety of its qualities, white shaded drawings coloured with flat washes of
All the bewildering surfaces, all the depths and transparent enamel. Sometimes these are height-
lovelinesses that lie darkly in the waters of sea- ened by the introduction of pieces of intensely
caves, all the glistening lustre of gleaming gold bright enamels upon foil, which have no relation in
or silver back and fin of fish, the velvet of the the scheme, and no sense of " value" whatsoever,
purple sea anemone, the jewelled brilliance of In point of fact there is an utter lack of under-
sunshine on snow, the hardness greater than that standing of the beautiful artistic qualities of
of marble, the flame of sunset, indeed, the very enamel. On the other hand, however, the works
PORTRAIT IN ENAMEL ON COPPER
BY ALEXANDER FISHEK