Meyer Franz. A Handbook of Ornament

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METAL

OBJECTS.

381

The

Tripod.

Plate

222.

382

The Tripod.

—

The Censer.

Plate 222. The Tripod.

Antique, bronze,

found in Pompeii, about Museum, Naples.

ins. high.

Romanesque,

bronze,

(M6nard

et Sauvageot).

Etruscan, bronze,

Berlin

Museum.

4. Mediaeval, bronze, Pierrefonds

castle,

(Viollet-le-Duc).

—6.

Italian, 17th

century,

wrought-iron , about 4 ft.

high,

(L'art

pour

tous).

7. Modern,

wrought-iron, for^-wine-cooler,

the

architect

Zaar,

(Gewerbehalle),

The Censer. (Plate

223.)

One

of the

oldest

ecclesiastical utensils is the Censer

Thu

rible, in the

use

of which

the rising

clouds of incense

are a sym-

bolical representation

prayer ascending to

heaven. The material is

silver, bronze,

iron,

copper,

or brass.

The

lower

part consists

dish with foot,

containing the

fire-pan. The pierced cover

is kept

in its place by means

of the

three chains

which pass

through the

three holes

made for the

purpose. These

three chains hang from

small plate with

ring. The cover

fastened to a fourth chain,

which also terminates in a chain

and may be

drawn

up through a hole

in the plate (fig.

7).

The

decoration is

frequently

symbolic,

and

In-

scriptions are also used.

The

Romanesque and

Gothic

Censers often

exhibit an architectonic

design of

domes

and towers (figs.

2, 4, 6).

The Renascence

prefers the strict

form of a

vessel (figs.

and

9).

Modem art avails itself of

Ancient models,

without having

anything

independent

show. An

appendage of

the Censer,

certain sense,

is the

Censer-boat, or

incense-holder,

usually an elliptical dish with

a partition

and two hinged

covers. The

incense is conveyed from

the Incense-boat to

the Censer by

means

of a Spoon.

Plate

223. The

Censer.

—

Romanesque,

bronze, 6th

and I2th

centuries, each

'/o

ins.

high, Collection

antiquities,

Grand-ducal Court,

Mannheim.

Romanesque,

bronze,

French,

beginning of the

13th century,

5^/4

ins.

high,

(Viollet-le-Duc).

—

5. Gothic,

from

stone statues,

Cathedral,

Chartres, 13th

century,

(L'art

pour

tous).

Gothic, with

tower shaped cover.

—8.

Renascence.

Renascence, South

Kensington

Museum, London.

METAL OBJECTS. 383

The

Censer.

Plate 223.

384

The Censer.

—

The

Crucifix.

The

Crucifix.

(Plate

224.)

The Crucifix

(from

crucifixus

nailed

to the

cross)

does not

appear

in Christian

ritual

until after

the

abolition

of the

shameful

punish-

ment of

Crucifixion.

The oldest

Crucifixes may

dated

about the

6th century.

In the

course of

the following

styles:

underwent

variety

of transformations.

The

older

examples often

represent the

crucified Christ as clothed

(fig.

3),

while in

later

times the

body

more frequently nude, with

the clothing

restricted

to the

cloth round

the loins. The older renderings

Christ show

a straight

stiff atti-

tude,

and a calm expression; while

later

periods exhibit

a more life-

conception, and the expression

pain. At first:

each

foot

pierced by a

separate

nail, later the

two feet by one

nail only; so

that

the

four

nails are reduced

three.

A nimbus appears

above

or behind the head; and over this a

roll

with the

letters I. N.

R. I.

(lesus Nazarenus Rex ludaeorum).

The arms

of the

Latin Cross are

often terminated in four quatrefoils

containing

symbols of the

four

Evangelists

(figs.

3).

Purely

ornamental

terminations

of the arms

and

decorations

at their

intersections

are also

not

uncommon

(fig.

1).

When

the

Crucifix is intended

stand

upright

on the Communion-

table: it is furnished

with

a candelabrum-like

base

(figs.

1, 2,

8).

The bases

are generally

similar style

to the accompanying

Candle-

sticks.

The materials

are

chiefly

metals, wood,

and ivory, the body

Christ

and the

Cross

being often of

different

materials.

Plate

224. The Ceucifix.

Italian,

1511,

silver

gilt,

the

inlaid

plates of the

cross are roct

crystal,

Poldi Pezzoli collection, Milan, (Kunsthandwerk).

Italian, bronze, Certosa near Pavia,

ft.

ins. high,

Renascence,

(Musterornamente).

3. Italian, Bronze, Renascence,

evidently of earlier. date than the

base.

4. Modem, Carved

wood.

The

Crozier, and the Monstrance. (Plate

225.)

The

Crozier

or Pastoral-staff has been

the badge of

episcopal

dignity

since

the

earliest

period

the Middle Ages.

the

West: it

had the shape

of a crutcli

the 12th century;

and

has re-

tained this form in

the

East

up the

present day (fig.

1).

Afterwards

the upper end

was curved spirally.

The curved

end

and the staff

itself are separated by a

knob. In the

Middle Ages:

the curve

decorated

with crockets and inscriptions;

and its

centre

bears

figures.

many cases the

war

the Church

against

the Evil One

sym-

METAL OBJECTS. 385

The

Cracifix

lleycr,

Uaodbook of

OraaoieDt.

Plate 224.

38G The

Crozier,

and the

Monstrance.

bolically represented

the

fight

with the

dragon

(fig.

4).

the

Gothic

period the

knob

below

the curve

developed

into an

archi-

tectonic

lantern.

The

length

of the

Crozier is

ft.

The

material is wood,

ivory,

and

metal,

usually

contrasting

in the

different

parts.

The Plate

only

reproduces

the

upper ends;

these

alone

are

importance by

their

decoration.

The Monstrance

is a

utensil

allied to

the

Ciborium and

Reli-

quary.

It is an

expository

vessel

which,

since

the

institution

the

feast

Corpus

Christi by

Urban

1264,

the

consecrated

wafer is

shown

and carried in

processions

Roman

Catholic

churches.

possesses

great varieties

both of

style

and

size,

the

height

varying

from 1

ft. to 5

ft. It

usually has

slender

hexagonal or

octagonal

foot,

and a knob.

From the

foot

rises a

tower-like

receptacle

(turri-

cula),

or a "Glory"

with a

disc-shaped

glass

box

whicb the

wafer

rests

on the

so-called eye.

The

material is

gold,

silver, or

brass.

The

Plate

gives

one of the

numerous

examples

which have

been

preserved.

Plate

225.

The Crozier, and the

Monstrance.

Romanesque,

Bishop Gerard of

Limoges,

1022.

—

Romanesque.

Transition

period

from Romanesque to

Gothic,

French,

(L'art

pour tous).

Gothic,

Martin Schongauer, end

15th century,

(Wessely).

Rococo,

ivory.

Monstrance,

gilt

brass, 23 ins.

high,

Hotzendorf.

Utensils

War and

Hunting;

Wenpons.

Utensils of

war and

hunting,

their most

primitive forms at

least, are as

old as

mankind

itself.

Savages of

the

earliest as well

as of

modern

times, show great

skill, and a

certain

originality in

the

decollation of these

utensils, as

we may see

in our

ethnological

collections. So

long

these

utensils continued

made of horn,

bone, and such

materials:

and also so long as

they

belong to

the so-

called "Stone age", they

are comparatively

simple.

They do not

assume

a richer form

and

finish

till the

introduction

of bronze

and

iron. The

great revolution

which ensued

the

transition from

the "Stone" to the

"Bronze age" finds a not

less

imposing parallel

in the

revolution wrought by

the invention of

Gunpowder.

Utensils of

War and Hunting may

divided

into two

great

sections: weapons of Defense and weapons

Offense. To

the former

belong Shields,

Helmets

and

Armour. The

kinds

and number

METAL

OBJECTS. 387

The Crozier, and

the

Monstrance.

Plate

225,

25*

388 The

Shield.

weapons of offense are

far more

manifold.

Swords, Daggers, Spears,

Pikes,

Lances, Axes, Maces,

Arrows,

Kifles, and" Pistols,

are the

principal.

It is

unfortunately

impossible,

in this

work,

give

due

consideration

to every

single

form; still

the

chief representatives

have

been included, with the

exception of

Firearms

and Armour,

in which

only the engraved or chased

details

are of

decorative

importance.

The most striking

examples,

in our

Armouries

and Museums,

have lately

been

published,

numerous

works; so

that

not

difficult

to obtain a

general view

of this

section;

monographs

on Wea-

pons have also

been

published,

among

which

we may

specially men-

tion

Boeheim's

Waffenkunde

(E. A.

Seemann,

Leipzig).

The

Shield.

(Plate

22G.)

The

Shield, which

from the earliest times

has been the

usual

weapon

of defense against blows and thrusts,

generally

domed

disc, the form

of which has varied

considerably.

Circular,

elliptical,

semi-circular, and kite-shapes, are found alongside

others of

richer out-

line.

The materials

are

wood, plaited osiers,

leather,

metal,

and

combinations

of these. ' The Shield

held

in the

left hand by a

handle,

slung on the arm by a strap.

The size varies

from

20 ins. to

ft. The Antique Shield was circular;

and

frequently

ornamented

with

boss in the centre.

Among the ancient

Teutons,

the form was large

and square; in the

Middle Ages, it was

triangular.

The

Standing -shields

or Pavises, of

the 14th

and 15th centuries,

were

very large,

and provided with feet, so

that

they would

stand

upon the ground, without

being held. The

Tilting-shield

had

a hole cut-

away

which the lance was

laid.

With the

introductions of fire-arms

the Shield

became worthless, and disappears as

an article

practical

use; but it has

continued

to be

employed for

State

purposes

down

to the

present time;

and, from a decorative

standpoint, these State-

shields

are"

of high

interest.

They

offer

metal-workers an except-

ionally

favourable field

for the display of

their art. The

simple

zonal

divisions

the Antique

Shield

have

given place

freer

divisions

and a richer

decoration

with

figures

and ornaments.

Plate

226. The

Suield.

Roman, with

boss, bronze partly-silvered, found near Mainz, Wies-

baden,

Museum.

Etruscan,

bronze, Campana

collection, (L'art pour tous).

3. Mediaeval,

time

of the Crusades, (Viollet-le-Duc).

4-.

Renascence,

time of

Henry II of France,

hammered metal.

METAL

OBJECTS. 389

The

Shield.

Plate

226.

390

Tbe Shield.

—

The

Helmet.

Renascence,

decorated

in the centre with a rosette and

pointed

knob, Turin,

Renascence, with rich decoration

of figures,

in hammered

metal.

7. Renascence, hammered silver, by P.

van Vianen.

The Helmet. (Plate

227.)

The armour for

the

defense of the

head

is the

Helmet. It was

probably originally made of leather;

a later date it

was of

metal;

and,

in Modem times it again

consists

of leather

with metal accessories.

Its form has suffered many transformations in

the course of the

cent-

lu-ies,

arising

sometimes from

practical,

sometimes from

aesthetic

reasons.

The greatest perfection

form

found in the Greek

helmet,

which, like Antique armour

general, fits

very closely to the

human

body. We need only remind the reader

of the

plain

but

beautiful

Helmets

in which Pallas Athene is shown

Antique

gems.

The

Medusa head and Sphinxes are

popular motives of

decoration. The

decoration is most

prominent

on the front,

and on the

moveable

cheek-pieces. Pig.

shows a Greek

Helmet with a crest

which is

similar

the form

the

Phrygian cap.

The Etruscan Helmet

(fig.

similar to

the Greek. The Roman

Helmet

simpler.

Helmets were often

decorated with plumes of

feathers

horse-hair;

and were provided

with sockets for fixing

these accessories.

The

Roman

gladiators' helmets, with their rich,

florid, often overdone

de-

coration,

and their large

face-guard

and

heavy

crest, have

something

awkward,

without

becoming ugly.

Very

manifold, although of

great

importance

decoratively,

are

the

Helmets of the Middle Ages.

Leaving

out of account

the

less

important

transitional

forms, we

will here give the

names

of the

principal

classes in

order of historical

succession.

They are the

Heaume

(fig.

8),

the Salade or

sallet (fig.

7),

the

Tilting-

helmet

(fig.

9),

the

Armet (fig.

10),

and the

Helmet

with

barred

Vizor

(fig.

11).

The

section

Heraldry

may also be

consulted.

The

Helmets of the Renascence, especially the State -helmets,

are

richly,

sometimes

too

richly, decorated.

To the forms

received,

from

the

Middle

ages, were

added the

Burganet

(fig.

13),

and

the

ilorion

(fig.

12).

Some

of these

State-helmets

are also

copied from

the

Antique, as

may be

seen

fig.

14.

Tbe Modern creations in this

section

are of no artistic importance.

Tlate

227. The Helmet.

Greek,

bronze, Campana collection,

(L'art pour tons).

Etruscan, bronze, Campana

collection,

(L'art

pour

tous).