132 
THE PRINCIPAL FLOOR. 
Enamels. 
Table Cases 60 and 61. Model of Tomb No. 59. 
Enamelling, or the process of covering metals or stones with 
a vitreous substance, or of running enamels into portions which 
have been previously removed by a graver, is of high antiquity. 
A series of historical specimens illustrating this art will be 
found in Table Case 61. Commencing with some Roman 
enamels found near Eden in Cumberland, we have next a 
Byzantine enamel on gold of the 11th century, being a portion 
of the gold altar front obtained from Constantinople by the 
Doge Pietro Orseola. 'This is followed by a reliquary of the 
13th century, enamelled in the style called champ leve. In this 
process those parts of the design intended to appear in enamel 
are hollowed out in the metal ground, leaving the outline in 
slender elevated partitions or bands of metal ; the intaglio por- 
tions are then tilled in with the coloured vitreous substance 
introduced in the state of powder and afterwards fused ; the 
surface of the whole being finally smoothed by grinding and 
polishing. 
The 14th century is illustrated by a priket candlestick from 
Dijon in champ-leve enamel, and a monstrance ornamented in 
a different style of enamelling, the design being here chased 
upon a silver plate, and the surface then covered with brilliant 
transparent enamels, through which the design appears. The 
15th centujyis represented by an enamelled processional crucifix 
from Italy, and from this we pass to the much admired Limoges 
enamels of the 16th century. These are painted enamels of 
considerable merit, usually executed en grisaille on a dark 
ground, and relieved by the introduction of flesh tints and 
touches of gold ; the works of the later artists are, however, 
frequently coloured, as seen in the polychrome enamels of the 
17th century here exhibited. From the painting of enamel 
pictures, the art was extended to the decoration of metallic 
vases and other ornamental objects, of which the enamelled 
tazza in this case is an example. Among the Limoges enamels 
will be found works by Limousin, Raymond, Nouaillier, Laudin, 
and the master I. M. From the coloured enamels of Limoges 
we advance to what may be termed the enamel painting of 
modern times. 
Enamel painting — properly, painting on enamel — is fully 
illustrated in Case 60. The white cake enamel used as the 
painting ground, and the beads and pipe employed as a flux, 
are all manufactured in Venice. These appear to consist of 
about ten parts of lead and three parts of tin, converted into 
oxide by heat and exposure ; to the mixed oxides are added 
ten parts of quartz and two parts of common salt, and the whole 
fused together. The enamel being reduced to powder is spread 
over a plate of copper or gold and exposed to a strong heat ; 
