Identifier: historyofmedival00rebe (find matches)
Title: History of mediæval art
Year: 1893 (1890s)
Authors: Reber, Franz von, 1834-1919 Clarke, Joseph Thacher, d. 1920
Subjects: Art, Medieval
Publisher: New York : Harper & Bros.
Contributing Library: Boston Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Public Library

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of the Empress Theodora upon themosaic of S. Vitale (Fig. 51), and the imperialdalmatica, which is said to have been used atthe coronation of Charlemagne in Rome, butwhich is more probably a Greek work of theeleventh century. Cloisonne enamel was great-ly in favor because of its durability and brillianteffect. This manner of treatment was not in-troduced until considerably later than the timeof Justinian, when it was employed for the dec-oration of ecclesiastical metal work, such as cru-cifixes, reliquaries, the covers of sacred books,chalices, etc., and also for objects of princely luxury. In point ofexecution, enamels of this kind were related both to the work ofgoldsmiths in relief and to miniature painting (Fig. 57). Threadsof gold filigree were soldered upon plates of gold or gilt, theseforming the visible borders of the local colors, which were cast asa flux into the spaces between them. The effect thus produced isthat of a miniature mosaic or incrustation. The largest and most
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Fig. 57.—Byzantine En-amel from the Bind-ing of a Codex nowin the Library of S.Marco, Venice. RESTRICTIONS OF SCULPTURE. IOI important specimen of cloisonne enamel is the Pala doro, on thehigh altar of the Church of St. Mark in Venice. This work, repre-senting a great number of figures, is assumed, with much probabil-ity to have been executed in Constantinople, A.D. 976, as an ante-pendium. A similar combination of painting and jewellery appearsin the revetment of pictures, especially those of the Virgin, with gar-ments, backgrounds, halos, etc., of beaten metal, or of enamels andprecious stones set in gold and silver. This barbarous decorationdid not, however, become common until a comparatively late period. The development of sculpture among the early Christians andByzantines was analagous to that of painting. The position of theformer art was in so far the more favorable as it could not well beexecuted with the hasty carelessness possible in the frescos, and asit could not become

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