Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/93

Rh consisting of a triangular base and knop composed of foliage, intermingled with lions and griffins; on the knop appear the evangelistic symbols. This foot is evidently not Oriental; it exactly resembles the work of Limoges, at the commencement of the thirteenth century, and has been added to the original cross. This strongly confirms the account that the cross was brought from the East by Jacobus de Vitry, Bishop of Ptolemais and Cardinal, who retired to the Monastery of Ognies, where he died in 1244.

6. In the Museum of Practical Geology is a small gold enamelled plate represented in the accompanying woodcut. On it appears the bust of St. Paul, accompanied by the inscription—. The figure and inscription are in enamel, on a gold background, and are executed in a manner slightly different from that described by Theophilus. The portions intended to be enamelled are sunk in the plain plate of gold, forming a kind of case, in the shape of the outline of the object to be represented. The fillets are then arranged in this case, and the enamels filled in as usual. The colours employed in this specimen are seven in number, all opaque. The hands and face are flesh colour, so managed as to give the appearance of shading; the hair and inscription are black; the glory and ornaments on the book greenish blue; the book itself red, with yellow edges.

This specimen greatly resembles in workmanship the medallions on the cross last described. It came from a sale of duplicates of the Debruges collection, some time since, and is said to have formed part of the Pala d'Oro. If so, it belongs to a third set of enamels on that monument, as it differs in style from both the sets already noticed.

The examples hitherto described are all executed in gold. We have seen from Theophilus that copper was occasionally employed for this kind of enamelling; and the specimen next to be described is on that metal, being the only one I have met with of Greek workmanship.

7. This interesting object is a portion of a book-cover in the collection of Count Pourtalès-Gorgier, at Paris, and once