The morning call., 1890-12-07
Painting for Enumel.

the design is finished the article is put into
the fire. When it comes out 1t may be found
that some one of the component colOrs Is sat-
lsfactorlly done while others may look weak
and unsatisfactory. These are gone over
again by the artist and then fired again.
The operation of firing the paintings is to
certain extent the same as the drying of
colorS on canvas. Very often an artist
who finds his tintS satisfactory when wet
| discovers weakness when they are dried,
and he has to strengthen them again.
For similar reasons an enamel painted ar
ticle has often to be fired from twelve to fif-
teen times. When the picture is satisfactory
the fiux or "fandant" is put entirely over the
surface and in its turn fired" The result is
transparent covering which effectualy pro-
tects the design, and is really welded into it,
so to speak.
Photography has, after its obtrusive
fashion, encroached Oh this particular ariis-
tic domain, as it has on most others. A
lew years ago man named lrlande, a
Frenchman in spite of his Celtic name.
claimed to have patent for the reproduc-
ton OF phOto-enamelings
His process, which was really an old one.
was the photograDhing on the white enamel
| field of pictures of all sorts in miniature
Historic scenes were produced with great
fidelity TO the originals. and their beauty,
| as designs, were in many cases enhanced by
reduction in size. While their general ap-
pearance was very good, their Photographic
effect was against them, for the people who
can afford hne products in enamel, as in
other art works, do not care for articles
which are to large degree mechanical
a colored photograph Is but colOred
photograph, whether in an enameled casing
or gilt frame, and the work never found
good sale. 1t had not the stamp of ''hand-
painting" which gives so great a value to
the general product in artistic directions
The employment of this method stopped. 10
great extent. at the reproduction Of por-
traits, class of work which cannot be done
In perfection by enainel-painterS, no matter
what their skill with the brush Beautiful
specimens OF this work have come from
abroad, but with all their beauty they are
still Photographic and unsatisfactory.
gone of the most elaborate enameled de-
signs OF a certain order that has ever been
produced Is a double cup, made to order for
Chicago lady. Tie smaller bowl of this
cup Is In tie form OF a rose, ami it is so ar
ranged as to admit OF its swinging The
whole design takes the form of woman.
tile two hands of which hold the swinging
rose. The dress of the figure is the larger
cup. The face Is portrait of the owner,
very elegantly chased in gold. The whole
design is Of gold Of different shades of color.
The rose represents full blown flower
American Queen" The whole outer sur
face of this flower is enameled in nearly
natural tint.
The hands, arms and face of the figure are
OF gold made to reproduce as nearly as
possible natural flesh color Tie armletS
and the broad collarette are figured to req.
resent bullion. These are of bright yellow
gold: The whole bodice is enameled a
bright red. The buttons are platina, laced
with gold cords
a RiTdle and pendant cords are enameled
to represeut rubies, emeralds and san
phlres Brlght red hearts, also enameled,
hang at the ends of the eirdla cords The
dress Is yellow gold, with bordering OF
enameied Ivy leaves. The veil, which shows
rather imperfectly in the cut, is crowned
with golden chaplet, and is enameled in
white, with delicate representation of
hne lace pattern IN raised enamel. This
piece Of work is by far the finest specimen
OF American enameled work ever made.
Another class of enamelng not mentioned
above is called Limoges" 1t is French
conception. and while very artistic and ex-
pensiye 1t does not present the soft and deli
cate appearance Which makes the fandant-
covered designs so attractive.
Designs in Limoges are put over an
enameled surface the same.as that used for
nat painted designs, but the final design is
not covered. This style of painting is
largely used on concave surfaces, where it
is comparatively free from friction.
The popularity of this work is its bas-
relief feature. The designs are painted on
the surface glass with very thick colors and
stand out in bold relief. When fired they
do not suffer from shrinkage, and, as in the
cdSc VI .uoSJ IeueI Work, they appear to
project farther from the surface than they
actually do.
American enamelers do not produce much
OF this class of work, but can do it to perfec-
ton when 1t is wanted.
One of the oldest articles which calls for
the enamelers' art is silver representation
OF an envelope. This little fac-simile, which
is about half the size OF an ordinary en-
velo2e, is intended to be used as court
plaster holder. The enameled postage
stamp mentioned above will ornament its
corner.
Prayer-book holders, also of silver, are
made with elaborate designs in enamel on
their fiat sides. These holders admit of
large variety Of designs Of the church win
dow order. The best metals for enameIers'
purposes are gold and copper. These metals
VIII stand any reasonable amount of firing
without warping or biis;ering.
Silver was supposed for long time to be
lmpracticable for the liner kinds of enamel
| painting on account of its tendency to blister
and crack when submitted to great heat
but modern methods have overcome this
trouble. and the good enamel workman
brings his silver article through in perfect
form.-N. Y. Herald.