File:European enamels (1906) (14760211006).jpg

Identifier: europeanenamels00cuny_0 (find matches)
Title: European enamels
Year: 1906 (1900s)
Authors: Cunynghame, Henry H (Henry Hardinge), Sir, 1848-1935
Subjects: Enamel and enameling
Publisher: London : Methuen
Contributing Library: Getty Research Institute
Digitizing Sponsor: Getty Research Institute

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e back is a crucifix. At the South Kensing-ton Museum there is a cross which came from theSoltykoff Collection. It dates from 1351. It iseither of German or Swiss make. At South Ken-sington there is a cup with a cover with translucentenamel a jour, that is to say, which can be seenthrough. It is by no means certain that this pieceis genuine. In the Wallace Collection a diptych of gold isornamented with pictures of Charlemagne, St. Louis,Pierre de Bourbon and his wife, accompanied bySt. Peter and St. Anne. This is a French pieceof work of the highest class, and well worthinspection. The museum at Orvieto contains a splendidreliquary nearly a yard high whose hexagonal baseis ornamented with translucent enamels. It is byUgolino, and similar to one at Bolsena. Otherspecimens are to be found in the museum at Copen-hagen, at Florence in the Baptistery and the PittiPalace, and the Riche Chapel at Munich. Thereare also a large number scattered in private collec-tions and in other museums. 102
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CHAPTER VII PAINTED ENAMELS WE have now briefly reviewed Europeanenamels up to the close, or nearly theclose, of the fifteenth century.They were executed in four or at most in fivedifferent ways. The enamel was simply appliedin a layer on gold ornaments in relief, or it wasapplied to designs marked out by cloisonne ; or elseit was embedded in spaces cut out of solid metal,or again applied like glass in windows in the inter-stices of outlines or frames of fine work, so as to betransparent. Finally it was applied on low bas-reliefs and depended for its effect on the varyingshades of colour due to its varying thickness. It will be observed, however, that in all thesecases it was used rather in the manner of preciousstones inlaid in a setting. No one had thought ofusing it as a paint. It is very difficult even to guess at the origin ofpainted enamel, and the true history of its dis-covery is probably for ever lost. It appears, how-ever, most likely that it had its origin in Venice. Toward

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