244 
KERAMIC STUDIO 
HISTORICAL ORNAMENT— MEDIAEVAL 
URING the Middle Ages, the decorative style was a mixture of the Celtic and 
Byzantine styles, with occasional borrowings from the Persian. Later, the 
Gothic influence was felt. The ornamentation, from being a mere interlacing 
effect, became elaborated, with grotesque animals introduced ( No. 7). Then 
appeared the floral terminals with foliations ( Nos. 1 and 5). The acanthus 
leaf disappeared to be replaced with quaint conventionalizations of flowers 
and leaves. The ornaments were composed of continuous stems throwing off leaves on the 
outer side and terminating in a flower. 
The early English ornament was the most perfect, both in principle and execution. It 
was in perfect harmony with the structural forms and grew naturally from them. This style 
remained perfect only so long as it continued to be strictly conventional. As the style became 
more directly in imitation of nature, its peculiar beauty disappeared and ceased to be orna- 
mentation. The color and form 
became too minute and elaborate. 
Finally all unity of design was 
abandoned, natural and conven- 
tional flowers were drawn on the 
same stem, flowers and insects 
casting shadows on the pages. 
The style could go no further 
and died out. This period lasted 
from the Xth to the XVth Cen- 
tury, and in it we find the same 
conditions as in the arts of all 
other nations: the earlier and 
middle periods of development f, 
are more perfect than the later, 
the tendency is always to over- 
develop, which brings the natural 
reaction to simplicity. 
The all-over ground patterns No. 1 
( Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 6) of continuous interlacing ornaments are particularly interesting, having an 
oriental feeling. Variations of what is called the pine apple motif ( No. 6) was most frequently 
used. Heavily jewelled designs were frequent, the coloring was rich, but heavy, much gold in 
grounds, shading and outlines. The style, as a rule, is not easily adapted to keramics, as it is 
too massive. 
PUNCH BOW I 
Application 
to Modern 
BORDER. 
We would hardly suggest following the 
original coloring for this. Rather use your 
, own taste. If you wish something simple, 
* treat the design in dull blues and greens 
with, perhaps, a touch of orange. For something rich and 
massive, use rich reds, blues and greens, some orange on a gold 
ground, outlined in black. The flower ornaments could be 
used, dotted at regular intervals over the rest of the bowl. 
This border is made from No. 1. 
CUP AND SAUCER. 
This can be treated very simply, any color, outlined 
either in a darker self tone, or with black or gold : or two or 
three harmonizing colors could be used; for instance, dull violet, green with a touch of reddish 
orange. The all-over pattern No. 2 supplied the motif for this design. 
