The New York herald., 1875-08-28

on record are those mentioned in the FIRST chapter Of
the book OF Esther forming the magnificent pavement
OF the paace of King Ahasuerus, Of red, blue and
white and black marble" In those times, probably,
only marble and precious stones were used, and the
work was styled lithostratum tesselatum. The
temple of Olympia also had mOsuc pave
ment, and that was sexecutcd two centuries before
the mosaic by sasus, of Pergamus in the Vatican
Museum But the ancients with their fondness for
color In architectural decoration became dissats
fed with the limited tnts of MARBLE and by udcious
mixture of the silicious materials Of which
gass Is made, with mineral substances fused together
they succeeded in mpartng to the vtrcous paste the
density, hardness and color of marble ITSELF adding
sofness graduation and variety Of color be found only
In precious stones Piny speaks of this us a new in-
vention of his tmc-e nitro mOritlm ct hoe inoenunl
In the East the of was general The Church
of ST. sophia that chef deupre of Byzantine archtec-
ture, is filled with splendid specimens.
CENTURY
the mosacs OF ST. Maria Maggiore were executed and
there very remarkable in the Mausoleum
of Constance of Gala Placda and in the Baptstry OF
Ravenna From the nth to the tenth century the art
declined, to revive again in the eleventh Fine speci-
cxant In the cathedral of Monrealc, Pa
lcrmo and in the cathedral of Torcello the ''mother
church, of Venice Hero the basca of ST. Marks Offers
wcrc the history of mosaic art written in the undu
latng waves of its marble pavement, in the cnameed
surface of its vaults and cupolas archtraves and walls
In the early times the yenctians sought the aid of
GREEK
Theophane, OF Consantinople, opened n mosaic
school in Venice, and in later times Titan and Trutor
designed the cartoons for the mosaic artists OF their
day-Zuccat Bozza and Beauchm-to copy in enamel
OF LIBERTY THE DECLINE OF ART
With the decline of liberty and commercial prosperity
,l,s, oil lllo Uoh tn
fall to pieces for the used at different cpochs
was not always perfect and the ancient method of
of making enamels and the peculiar art of initiating
the chalccdony agate forgotten But the Redi of
Murano retraced the mislaid methods and Savia set
up school for mosaic choosing the best artists from
the Venetian Academy, and opened school for work
men, where they were taught drawing and geometry.
INVENTION
of Saviats own enabled HIM to undertake mosaic
commissions for foreign countries and thus furnish the
snews of war for his Venetian enamel mosaic works
the grand canal All the old mosacs worked
the spot that they to decorate; the surface of
the wall prepared and covered with cement The subject
was produced by putting in the enamels piece by piece
savia the contrary had his cartoons prepared and
reversed and has taught his scholars work
up side down. they have the design before them and
place the side of the enamels destined TO view the
paper; these. separate fragments carefully packed
to go to the ends of the earth, reversed
special cement is prepared on the walls the rough
side fixed into this, and you have the exact elect of
the old method In this way he wrought in his studio
Venice the mosaics which the grained cell
ing of the Wolsey chapel ut Windsor Castle which
100 superficial feet The design comprehend
ing ninety-two figured Inscriptions coats of arms,
crests notices heraldic and sacred cmblems foliage
&c, executed in ten months, including the time of
transit from Venice preparations of cement and scat
folding for Ga 24 And in the same way he gradually
RESTORING ALL THE OLD
in st. Marks the pavement in marble in the orig
inal the apocalypse" which almost ruined, and
the other grand pictures in enamel mosaic.
THE ENAMELs
themselves all manufactured in the establish
ment In the gold and silver enamels he certainly has
attained to perfection And the difficulty of this opera
tion Is extreme ground of thick enamel is used,
Opaque transparent according TO the quality required
then gold or silver leaf attached by the action of
fire. and that is again spread film Of purest glass
The three layers must be perfectly faced ruile
bubble the surface is spoiled and the eye is vexed by
glitter on the surface and by dull strata between the
upper and lower layers By the use OF different
els for the basis all variations of gold obtained from
the brightest burnish to the pale, dull Californian
Once the operation successfully performed and the metal
is protected from all possible injury from the atmos
phere dirt smoke or flies, and will retain for
turies its pristine splendor.
WORK
The numberless instruments that Saviate has in
vented for cutting the smath into all known geomercal
forms and into the minues fragments have materially
contributed to the rapidy and precision the works
and also the success of the portrait department
Some of the portraits that of the late much esteemed
director Of the works MOntecch and of Salvate HIM
SELF ifckc and you must go quite close to realize
rather than painted IN oils.
HIS FIRST GREAT COMMISSION
have spoken of the decorations of Wolsey chapel be-
IL the first great commission that Salvate
received but during the last years every country in
Europe has sought his skill to perpetuate some ep
sode in its history and suppose that the Emperor OF
Germany Is of old Gurondajos opinion, that 'mosaic
is the only painting for eternity and hence has chosen
1t to immaculate his 'Victory."
wERNERs PICTURE
In itself has obtained large need Of praise, from
Italian connosseurs That il will "come wellu in mo-
ne few hpads lrpod
but that is in itself work of high art not con-
WINGED.
Is CoMPosED-THE GROUPS
The composition as the artist himself tells US. is d.
vidcd into four groups.
The first group represents the provocaton OF France
to Germany and the surprise of people intent only
peaceful occupations. The peasants mother and chill
dren are in the fertile fields the fisherman and his
casting their nets into the Rhine and turn in terror
to gaze the herds of which approach from the
other side of the river. Emilio Girardn, with the Ma
poeonic features is chosen that herald Behind him
is France, with the tncolor wrapped in the imperial
mantel covered with bees with the red Phrygan cap
crowned with laurel garland and followed by the de-
mons Of and by soldiers frantic for the fight And
the challenge is accepted instantly. Germany herself
symbolizcd by majestic female, armed as war
rior springs to the rescue, brandishng sword and
shield for the defence Of her people and to repel the
violent aggression
In the second group the Germans, old and
young preparing not only to repulse the adversary but
to carry the war into his territory Here Prince
Frederick Charles occupies the chief place. and you
him rushing on the enemy at the head of his brave
men, followed Dy armed infantry The German popu-
latons have heard the arcry the peaceful workngmen
urge their TO the fight the landwehr arms and
at the first tusslc the foe is worsed
The principal subject of the third group the rapid
alliance concluded between the German races and the
league between North and South sealed with blood shed
upon the battle field.
The son of the King Of the North, tho Grown Prince
of Russia, halls the commander OF the Bavarian army,
General Hartman on the cncmy's soil The warriors,
jublant surround their Chiefs waving In the air
the banners conquered from the foe A Prussian
h0rscman points out this spectacle to Bavarian COM
radc who Is seriously wounded and passing onward are
the Grand Duke of Meckcnburg and General Won Tam
graspng hands
ENTnRoyEMEXr GERMAN
In the last group the German Empire Is en-
throned The scene of the 18th of January 1871,
iu the Hall OF Mirrors Versailles, is sym
b0iized. a herald, wearing the Bavaran colors,
oilers the Imperial crown to young Prussia On the LETT
of the throne the Crown Prince Of the empire,
the Prince oi Saxony and Prince Frederick Charles With
them stands Bismarck who holds in his hand the decd
of proclamation Count Moltke and the War Minister
Won Room To the right is the Grand Duke OF Baden,
who ntones the first erriDd to the new empire. The
flags and standards s Prussia bent before the new