Arts and Crafts in the Middle Ages

Arts and Crafts in the Middle
Ages

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Julia De Wolf Addison
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Title: Arts and Crafts in the Middle Ages A Description of Mediaeval
Workmanship in Several of the Departments of Applied Art, Together
with Some Account of Special Artisans in the Early Renaissance
Author: Julia De Wolf Addison

Release Date: April 19, 2006 [eBook #18212]
Language: English
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ARTS AND CRAFTS IN THE MIDDLE AGES
A Description of Mediaeval Workmanship in Several of the
Departments of Applied Art, Together with Some Account of Special
Artisans in the Early Renaissance
by
JULIA DE WOLF ADDISON
Author of "The Art of the Pitti Palace," "The Art of the National
Gallery," "Classic Myths in Art," etc.

[Illustration: EXAMPLES OF ECCLESIASTICAL METAL WORK]

INTRODUCTION
The very general and keen interest in the revival of arts and crafts in
America is a sign full of promise and pleasure to those who are
working among the so-called minor arts. One reads at every turn how
greatly Ruskin and Morris have influenced handicraft: how much these
men and their co-workers have modified the appearance of our streets
and houses, our materials, textiles, utensils, and all other useful things
in which it is possible to shock or to please the æsthetic taste, without
otherwise affecting the value of these articles for their destined
purposes.
In this connection it is interesting to look into the past, particularly to
those centuries known as the Middle Ages, in which the handicrafts

flourished in special perfection, and to see for ourselves how these
crafts were pursued, and exactly what these arts really were. Many
people talk learnedly of the delightful revival of the arts and crafts
without having a very definite idea of the original processes which are
being restored to popular favour. William Morris himself, although a
great modern spirit, and reformer, felt the necessity of a basis of
historic knowledge in all workers. "I do not think," he says, "that any
man but one of the highest genius could do anything in these days
without much study of ancient art, and even he would be much
hindered if he lacked it." It is but turning to the original sources, then,
to examine the progress of mediæval artistic crafts, and those sources
are usually to be found preserved for our edification in enormous
volumes of plates, inaccessible to most readers, and seldom with the
kind of information which the average person would enjoy. There are
very few books dealing with the arts and crafts of the olden time, which
are adapted to inform those who have no intention of practising such
arts, and yet who wish to understand and appreciate the examples
which they see in numerous museums or exhibitions, and in travelling
abroad. There are many of the arts and crafts which come under the
daily observation of the tourist, which make no impression upon him
and have no message for him, simply because he has never considered
the subject of their origin and construction. After one has once studied
the subject of historic carving, metal work, embroidery, tapestry, or
illumination, one can never fail to look upon these things with
intelligent interest and vastly increased pleasure.
Until the middle of the nineteenth century art had been regarded as a
luxury for the rich dilettante,--the people heard little of it, and thought
less. The utensils and furniture of the middle class were fashioned only
with a view to utility; there was a popular belief that beautiful things
were expensive, and the thrifty housekeeper who had no money to put
into bric-à-brac never thought of such things as an artistic lamp shade
or a well-coloured sofa cushion. Decorative art is well defined by Mr.
Russell Sturgis: "Fine art applied to the making beautiful or interesting
that which is made for utilitarian purposes."
Many people have an impression that the more ornate an article is, the

more work has been lavished upon it. There never was a more
erroneous idea. The diligent polish in order to secure nice plain
surfaces, or the neat fitting of parts together, is infinitely more difficult
than adding a florid casting to conceal clumsy workmanship. Of course
certain forms of elaboration involve great