Thomas County cat., 1890-09-18

many years before its appearance in
Phenicia That of any shade, how
ever, other than pale blue. was not
made with any dregree of excellence
until about four hundred years after
ward, at which time the manufactur-
ers discovered that by systematic use
of the metals, as then known, variety
of colors could be produced.
As Rome approached the zenith OF
her glory and power, her people devel-
oped sesthetical tastes and luxurious
habits, and their artistic tastes were
such that under the reign of Tiberius
glass began to be used, not only in the
shape of bottles, jars. and the like, but
for inlaying the walls and pavements
of palaces and public buildings. But
not until the first century did glass
come into use to any great extent for
windows, and many centuries elapsed
before it was generally adopted for
this purpose.
For a number of years Venice was
the headquarters for its manufacture,
but later on Belgium won the distinc-
tion of being the greatest glass making
country in the world, and in the reign
of the Second Henry of England, the
people of the British Isles considered
houses provided with stained glass
windows the greatest grandeur of the
times, but they remainedin total dark
ness, so far as the secrets of its manu-
facture were concerned, until as late
as 1439, or thereabouts, when these
people began the manufacture of win
dow glass for themselves, and for many
years subsequently they expressed a
preference for the glass from beyond
the seas" just as we Americans of to-
day, express preference for anything
European, and especially English
stained glass.
The manufacture of stained glass is
now far from being mastered science,
either here or in Europe. In fact,
there are but two principal varities of
colored glass, fact difficult to under
stand, but universally recognized
one, nevertheless, and though we have
many subdivisions of each, they have
such distinguishing characteristics
that nearly anyone can recognize at
glance, and tell to which class the
sample belongs.
Perhaps the only method utilized to
any prestige for artistic excellence is
called the mosaic method. In works
formed for this process the various
colors are represented by separate
pieces of pot-metal glass, in which the
entire substance is permeated by the
color. The only exceptions to this rule
are the following: Red or ruby is in
variably coated glass, the coloring
matter being so intense that, were it
made in sheets of the usual thickness,
it would appear Opaque.
A light, regular stain, penetrating
to quite depth, is in some cases i'm
parted by the use OF pure silver, but
this color is much fainter than the in
tense potmetal yellows.
Then another exception to the fore
going rule is the fact that blue and
yellow form green. Thus, part of a.
piece of blue glass may be changed to
green by the addition of a yellow
stain. All brown and black parts, to-
gether with the subordinate outlines
and the shadows, are executed by
means of the pigment enamel brown
laid on with brush.
The process of preparing work by
this method is an exceedingly interest
ing one. Having selected the design,
the first thing necessary is make full
drawing of the windows, representing
the exact dimensions of the several
parts. It is desirable to introduce the
lead so it will form bold outlines, thus
heightening the effects of the glass by
plainly separating the figures from the
background, bv giving depth of shade
to the folds of the drapery. If atten-
tion is paid to this, the lines, instead
of marring the effect of the work by
their prominence, will enhance its
beauty greatly. From the first draw
ing second one is traced, and is
called the cutting drawing" showing
the shape and size of each piece of
glass to be used. On this the artist
marks the tints and colors he
wishes, and the drawing then
goes to the glass cutter, who Sc
lects from the various sheets of
colored glass the tints desired. He
then, with a diamond cuts the desired
shapes, and from here goes to the
artist. who places them temporarily
upon glass easel and paints on the
minor outlines, the shadows. and the
black and brown parts with enamel
brown. The parts he wishes to stain
yellow he covers with silver mixed with
Ochre or clay, and the pieces are re-
moved to the kilns. Here they are
placed on iron shelves and exposed to
a heat barely sufficient to fire the sur
face of the glass, thus causing the out
lines, shading and yellow staining to
become permanently imprinted upon
it. The brilliancy of the glass may be
injured by the failure Of stopping the !
firing at the right moment, or By de- |
fects in the construction of the kiln. |
Great care is taken to allow it to cool /
very slowly, as by a. rapid cooling it is |
liable to crack. One firing, as gen. i
eral rule, is sufficient, many of the |
parts requiring further painting,
which. being done, they are placed |
again in the kiln and receive q final |
firing.
The @cuttin drawing having been |