§ 35. MOSAIC GLASS. 51 



than an enamel, or mosaic enamel glass painting ; the ground- 

 work of which is of different degrees of transparency. . . . 



" It may be said that the mosaic system does not possess so 

 extended a scale of colour as the enamel system ;" . . . but this 

 inferiority " is more than counterbalanced by its superiority 

 over the enamel in strength of colour and ... in point of bril- 

 liancy." It may "be urged as an objection against the mosaic 

 system of glass painting, that the employment of a separate 

 piece of glass for almost every colour of the design renders 

 the use of harsh outlines throughout the picture unavoidable, 

 and, consequently, that it is less favourable than the enamel 

 system for pictures. But this objection does not appear to be 

 well founded. It has been stated that no glass painting, 

 unless it be of very small dimensions, can be constructed 

 without the aid of metal-work, and that wherever metal-work 

 is used there will be the appearance of black lines. To this 

 law an enamel glass painting affords no exception : if of huge 

 dimensions it must be composed of many pieces of glass, and 

 these must be secured in their places either simply by means 

 of leads, or in a metal framework. The construction of the 

 work does not indeed require that the leads or metal frame- 

 work should follow the course of the outlines of the picture ; 

 but this is practically the only difference between an enamel 

 and a mosaic glass painting. The black lines cannot be got 

 rid of." . . . 



" The construction of a mosaic glass painting appears 

 indeed to be, on the whole, more favourable to the effect 

 of the picture than that of an enamel glass painting. For 

 the lead-work, being generally and pretty equally diffused 

 over the whole design, is on that account less noticed than if 

 its course were confined only to a few particular outlines. I 

 may also add that the colouring and execution of a mosaic 

 glass painting greatly tend to disguise the lead-work." . . . 

 " I think I am justified in concluding, that the mosaic system 



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