182 MALIC ACID 



Gubio, Ascanio, Bologna, Citacastellana, Ferrara, Forli, Fynlina, Pisa, Perugia, 

 Rimini, Sienna, and Spello ; and the first is considered the earliest site of a manu- 

 factory in Italy, notwithstanding the attempts of the ingenious Eugene Piot in 

 favour of Deruta. So early as 1509 Guidobolato della Eovere, duke of Urbino, 

 granted a patent to Jacques Lanfranco of Pesaro, for ' the application of gold to 

 the Italian fai'ence,' by which is probably intended that lustre of a golden colour 

 which so brilliantly sheds its prismatic hue on the fictile performances of this period. 

 The next in antiquity is Gubio, which boasted, in Giorgio Andriolio, of one of the 

 most famous masters in his art. In 1511, and subsequently, he, improving on the 

 invention of Lanfranco, gave to his wares a ruby splendour, restricted to his 

 works alone ; for the artist and his secret died together. His works are usually 

 inscribed at the back M 0> G- (Maestro Giorgio), which title he assumed on his 

 ennoblement. At Gubio, also, Giorgio's son Vincent is said to have laboured in the 

 same department. 



It was, however, during a period extending from 1520 to 1560 that these wares 

 attained perfection. The classical designs of Raffaclle, of Giulio Romano, and of 

 Marc Antonio, were adopted and correctly developed ; the most graceful figure-com- 

 positions, selected from the Grecian and Roman mythologies, were surrounded by 

 borders of imaginative arabesques. The colours, less brilliant than before, were now 

 more harmoniously combined, while the glaze became more transparent, and more 

 evenly applied then ever. Plates, dishes, vases, cisterns, fountains, now came into 

 being in full magnificence, while goblets, salt-cellars, and other appendages to the table 

 receive the same careful ornamentation with works of greater pretension but less 

 utility. " 



At Pesaro, in 1542, flourished Geronimo, and in 1550, Mathieu, when large 

 dishes were first made, having a profusion of ornaments executed in relief. With 

 these artists successfully competed Terenzio, son of Mathieu ; Battista Franco, a 

 skilful designer, entrusted with the direction of the works ; Taddeo Zuccaro and tho 

 two Raffaelles one Ciarla, the other dell Colle both for a long time confounded with 

 the immortal Sanzio. There, too, worked the brothers Flaminio, and Orazzio Fontana, 

 of Urbino, on the dinner service which Guidobardo caused to be made for Charles V. 

 and Philip II. Orazzio also worked at Castel Durante and Florence, as did the 

 Chevalier Piccolpesso, a talented painter, and the author of a work on pottery. 

 Rivalling also the above in fame, were Guido Selvaggio ofFaenza, Francisco Xante de 

 Rovigio, who was a support of the manufactory at Urbino, Frederico Brandini, and 

 Guido Durantino. The works of Luca della Robbia gave much celebrity to the ware, 

 owing to the brilliancy of his colours, the modelled relief of his designs, and the 

 hardness of his enamel. The Dukes of Urbino patronized the art for nearly 

 two hundred years ; and the productions they issued are generally kno*n as Raffaelle 

 ware. 



For an historical account of majolica, see Mr. Drury Fortnum's elaborate ' Descrip- 

 tive Catalogue of the Majolica in the South Kensington Museum,' 1873. 



XVXAXiACHXTJS, or mountain green, is native carbonate of copper of a beautiful 

 green colour, with variegated radiations and zones ; spec. grav. 3'5 ; it scratches calc- 

 spar, but not fluor-spar ; by calcination it affords water and turns black. Its solution 

 in the acids deposits copper upon a plate of iron plunged into it. Its consists of car- 

 bonic acid, 18'5 ; protoxide of copper, 72'2 ; -water, 9'3. 



It is found in great quantities and of a remarkably fine character, in the copper 

 mines of the Ural mountains, and is in Russia manufactured 1 into various kinds of 

 furniture and highly ornamental articles. A very fine malachite has been obtained 

 from the Burra-Burra mines in South Australia. It is found to exist in large quantities 

 in Central Africa. See COPPER. 



IVXAIiATES are saline compounds of the bases with malic acid. 



IYIAI.E TSKK. Lastrea (Aspidium) Filix-mas. This fern grows in all parts of 

 Europe and most parts of America, between New York and Virginia. Its root (rhizome) 

 has been used for tanning. The best root is about 6 inches long and an inch broad ; 

 externally it is of a brown colour, internally yellowish or reddish white, with a pecu- 

 liar but not very strong odour, and a sweetish bitter-astringent taste. Morrin states 

 that the root contains volatile oil, fatty matter, gallic acid, acetic acid, tannin, uncrystal- 

 lizable sugar, starch, ligneous matter, and gelatiniform matter. The root is collected 

 in May and September. 



MALIC ACID. (Acide malique, Fr. ; Acp/clsdure, Ger.) This acid exists in the 

 juices of many fruits and plants alone, or associated with the citric, tartaric, and 

 oxalic acids : and occasionally combined with potash or lime. Unripe apples, sloes, 

 barberries, the berries of tho mountain-ash, elder berries, currants, gooseberries, 

 strawberries, raspberries, bilberries, brambleberries, whortleberries, cherries, and 



