. Enamels . erman enamels. Although labelled as beingof the thirteenth century, it is primitive and rudein execution, and not in any way similar to theusual reliquaries of that time, w^th their high-pitched roofs, but merely an oblong box, studdedalong the angles with large brass nail heads, andwith a later German lock set in the lid. Onthe top is depicted our Lord in the act ofbenediction, surrounded by emblems of the fourEvangelists, sadly cut into by the German lock,and round the sides the crucifixion and varioussaints. The figures show no attempt at grace orelaboration, no flowing lines of
. Enamels . erman enamels. Although labelled as beingof the thirteenth century, it is primitive and rudein execution, and not in any way similar to theusual reliquaries of that time, w^th their high-pitched roofs, but merely an oblong box, studdedalong the angles with large brass nail heads, andwith a later German lock set in the lid. Onthe top is depicted our Lord in the act ofbenediction, surrounded by emblems of the fourEvangelists, sadly cut into by the German lock,and round the sides the crucifixion and varioussaints. The figures show no attempt at grace orelaboration, no flowing lines of drapery, the out-lines being stiff and hard lines of metal, each onebeing drawn as a child would draw them, but thebeauty and the colour of this little casket are inex-pressible. The ground is an intense blue, thefigures being in various flat colours; the nudebody of Christ is white, suggesting work of thetwelfth century, which colour is repeated in someof the drapery; there are rich turquoise and PLATE XIV. CKUCIKIX. I IMOUES. CENTUKY CHAMPLEVE ENAMELS loi greeny blues in the lid, and also a fine red. Thiscasket stands in the midst of a case full of theostentatious painted enamels of later Limogeswork, and the severity of its lines, and purity andmellowness of its colours, make it to my mind farmore attractive and precious than all the rest inthe case put together. There is a fine plaquealso shown near by, attributed to the RhenishByzantine school of the thirteenth century, of between two monks. In the gallery up-stairs is the case of work of this Rhenish school,very perfect and beautiful, of the twelfth andthirteenth centuries. Here is the large and im-posing Soltikoff reliquary, in the form of aByzantine church, with its ivory and gold andprecious stones, and pillars and sides of cham-pleve enamel work. It is suggested that cloisonnework was used in these enamels, as well aschampleve engraving, but a cursory glance doesnot reveal this peculiarity. This
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectenamela, bookyear1912
