68 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA.
and beauty ave produced. In tliis art tbe design is first marked
out upon the metallic or porcelain surfiice by thin strips of
brass, bent and folded, so as to mark all the details of an intri-
cate pattem. These are fastened to the surface ou edge by
soldering, and the cavities or cloissons thus formed are filled in
with fusible enamels of different colors. The piece is then
baked, the enamels fuse into the cells, and, after cooling, the
whole surface is ground otf smooth, bringing the enamels and
the thin brass partings to a flush finish. Dark blues and
greens, with a sprinkling of red and white, are the usual
colors.
Imitations are now made extensively in France and in Eng
land. Some of these productions are remarkable for their
beauty and perfection of finish. Special mentiou should be
made of specimens shown by Barbedienne and by Elkington.
There is one variety of cloissonee enamel on porcelain
which is rare, only a few specimens having been seen in the
United States. Porcelain body is substituted for metal, and
the brass partitions seem to be inserted directly in the porce
lain body. A cup in the writer’s collection is so enamelled
over the whole exterior, while the inferior is ordinary white,
ti'anslucent porcelain.
Some of the choicest specimens of Chinese cloissonee were
obtained at the sacking of the summer palace of the emperor,
and, together with vonderfully wrought specimens of jade
and other decorative objects, were distributed from thence
over Europe.
III. Floob, Wall, and Oknamen-
TAL TlLES.
The Exhibition contained a rieh assemblagc of decorative
tiles of several countries, notably from Great Britain, where
the art has attained its greatest perfection. Little, in fact,
remains to be desired in respect of excellence of materials,
perfection of form, and beauty of design. The highest skill
of the potter and the best efforts of decorative artists are
called into requisition in this manufacture, and the resources
of the chemist’s art, applied to enamels, are taxod to their
