On Fresco Painting.

(Continued from page 71.) Implements.-The brushes to be employed may be of the common description, only a little longer in the hair than those used in oilpainting. The palette must be formed of zinc or tin, with a rim, to prevent the colours, which are thinned with water, from running Beside hogs'-hair tools, small otter-hair pencils are required. Distilled or boiled rainwater, passed through an iron tube, should be

over.

used.

round the edge of the portion previously painted.

"To prevent the drying of the work, a board should be padded on one side, the cushion being covered with waxed cloth; a piece of fine linen is then spread over the fresh plaster and painting, and pressed to the surface of the wall by the cushioned side of the board, while the other side is buttressed firmly by a pole from the ground.

"The Germans carefully teach the propriety of making all cuttings and joinings in the plaster at outlines, where it is possible to do so.

"In the finished fresco, the depth of shadows is often increased; parts are rounded, subdued, and softened, by hatching in lines of the colour The Cartoon can be prepared in the fol- required, with a brush not too wet; the lowing manner:-Stretch a strong cloth on a medium then used being vinegar and white of frame, and glue over it a paper covering. egg. Shade is more easily added in this way When this is dry, cover it again in the same than light, but painters use crayons, made of manner, taking care to do it evenly. The sur-pounded egg-shells, to heighten the lights. It face may now be prepared with size and alum. is to be observed that such re-touchings are The drawing is to be made with charcoal; and useless in frescos painted in the open air, fixed, when completed, by damping the back because the rain washes them away, whilst it with cold water, and then steaming in front. does not affect those finished without reWhen the drawing is thus made, an outline touching. tracing is taken on oiled paper, then nail as much of this outline-drawing as can be finished at one painting to the wet wall, and again trace it with a point, so as to form an indented outline on the lime surface.

Painting. We extract the following directions from the valuable compilation of Messrs.

Winsor and Newton :

"According to Professor Hess:-After the painter has laid in his general colour, he should wait half an hour, or an hour, accordingly as the colour sets, before he proceeds to more delicate modelling. In these first operations he should avoid warm or powerful tints, as these can be added with better effect as the work advances. After the second painting, "A convenient portion of the outline is to be and another shorter pause, the work is finished In this traced with a sharp point on the plaster; and with thin glazings and washings. the painter begins to work, after having be attained, provided the daylight and the mode the requisite degree of completion can assured himself of the fit state of the plaster, absorbent power of the plaster last; but if the which should be of such a consistency as just touches of the pencil remain wet on the surto receive the impression of the finger, and not be liable to be disturbed by the action of the face, and are no longer sucked in instantanebrush, as the contrary state, besides other ously, the painter must cease to work, for inconveniences, would clog the brush with henceforth the colour no longer unites with the sand. Should the rough coat have been pre- plaster, but, when dry, will exhibit chalky viously well wetted, the plaster will not dry spots. As this moment of time approaches, too rapidly; but if, during the course of a dry the absorbing power increases, the wet brush is summer's day, the surface should become too sucked dry by mere contact with the wall, and hard, and no longer takes the colour well, the the operation of painting becomes more diffipainter, from time to time, takes a mouthful of cult. It is, therefore, advisable to cease as water, and sprinkles it over the surface, in the soon as these indications appear. same manner as sculptors sometimes wet their clay models. Much evidently depends on the thorough wetting of the dry mortar before the last preparatory coats are applied.

a

"After having completed the portion allotted to the day, any plaster which extends beyond the finished part is to be removed, and, in cutting it away, care must be taken never to make a division in the middle of a mass of flesh, or of an unbroken light, but always where drapery, or some object or its outline, forms boundary; for if this be not attended to, it will be almost impossible, in continuing the work the next day, to match the tints, so that the junction shall be imperceptible; but by making these junctions correspond with the outlines of the composition, the patchwork, which is unavoidable, is successfully concealed.

"In the next day's operation, the surface of the old mortar is to be wetted as before, and care must be taken to delicately wet the angles

"If the wall begins to show these symptoms too soon, for example, in the second painting, some time may be gained by moistening the surface with a large brush, and trying to remove the crust or setting that has already begun to take place; but this remedy affords but a short respite. In the additions to the painting on successive days, it is desirable to add the new plaster to that part of the work which is not quite dry, for if added to dry portions, the edges sometimes exhibit spots. Various other effects sometimes take place from causes that cannot be foreseen, and the remedies must be provided by the ingenuity of the artist, as the case may require."

(To be continued.)

AMALGAM FOR A METALLIC VARNISH.-Take of tin, bismuth, and mercury, equal proportions; melt, and, when cold, mix with the white of an egg.

The Art of Pottery.

THERE is, perhaps, no branch of manufactures which, in its history, theory, modes of work, and applications to the practical purposes of life, offers a wider field of inquiry than the Fictile. To it belongs the most ancient mechanical invention which marks the first essays of human ingenuity; an invention faithfully preserved through all the changes and chances of progressive civilisation without alteration of principle, and with very few modifications of its mechanical operations.

manship, was discovered at Rome, in 1829, and is now in the Vatican.

The application of the plastic art to statuary and architectural ornament was interrupted by the invasions of the barbarians, and was not revived until the thirteenth century, when Nicolo d'Arezzo produced several fine statues of terra-cotta, and particularly one of St. Antony, which is in the church of that saint at Arezzo. The artists who employed this material were chiefly Italians and Spaniards; but some fine works, executed by Germain Pilon, in 1588, are preserved in the great museum of French monuments. At the present time great exertions are made to revive this art in France. Although the productions of the Fictile Art The most celebrated modern artists in terraare very numerous and varied, they may be cotta are the Messrs. Vizebent, of Toulouse; conveniently divided into three classes:-1st. who have supplied sculpture and other ornaTerra Cottas, by some called Plastics,-under ments to decorate the public buildings of that which are classed all figures and ornaments of town and the principal places in the neighbourclay, formed either by the hand or by moulds; 2nd. Utensils, including all articles for public or domestic purposes not intended to contain liquids; and, 3rd. Vases, that is, all vessels of capacity, but chiefly those destined to hold liquids.

The materials of the plastic art are found on the surface of the soil:-a little water serves to make them sufficiently yielding for the reception of form, and a little heat gives them sufficient hardness to preserve their shape. Hence, we find abundant traces of the art in the infancy of almost every nation. Dibutades, of Corinth, is said to have been the first who raised the Plastic Art to the same level as sculpture. According to Pliny, his productions became popular in consequence of his using colour; but it is not certain whether he mixed his colours with the clay or only applied them to the surface. In Egypt, however, images of indurated clay were common before Corinth itself was founded. Specimens of these abound in our museums; and they are generally remarkable for a lustrous surface,-produced either by a very thin glaze, or by mechanical polish. The execution is generally coarse; but we have seen some signets or arm lets in which the figures were very carefully elaborated. We know of no Egyptian specimen of plastic statuary, properly so called; and, probably, this is the real invention claimed by Dibutades.

hood.

The difficulties in the application of terracotta to architectural purposes are mechanical and economic rather than artistic. It is difficult to preserve the harmony of the proportions and exactness of the forms in the process of firing; and if none but the finest clays were used, the cost would be little inferior to that of marble. The Messrs. Vizebent have only a thin crust of the finest clay on the surface of their productions, the interior being composed of coarser and cheaper materials. Now, the difficulty which they have to overcome is, to keep exact harmony between the shrinking of the crust and of the inside during the process of firing, or desiccation, so as to prevent the separation of the layers or the fracture of the surface. In all the specimens which we have seen this had been successfully accomplished;-but we found reason to believe that the producers failed much more frequently than they were willing to acknowledge.

A greater defect in terra-cottas is their incapacity to resist the continued action of the atmosphere. Some of our readers have probably seen the copy of the monument of Lysicles, commonly called the lanthorn of Diogenes, erected in the park of St. Cloud. This, the largest plastic production of modern times, was executed by the Brother Tribucci, after the designs of Molinos. The body of the material appeared to us as close-grained and well-burned as any of the ancient specimens of terra-cotta; but though it was placed in its present position only in 1808, it is already crumbling into decay. We differ, very reluctantly, from Brongniart; but we are convinced that terra-cottas will not bear exposure, and that their use should, therefore, be confined to internal decorations.

But the plastic art was not applied to statues alone by the Greeks and the civilised races of Italy. Our antiquarian collections exhibit multitudinous specimens of cornices, entablatures, and tombs, formed of terra-cotta, ornamented with sculptures and bas-reliefs, admirably designed and skilfully executed. Such tombs are very numerous in the Etrurian In the second class of fictile productionsprovinces; where Varro assures us that they Utensils-the objects that seem to claim priwere manufactured from the most remote anti-mary attention are, bricks, tiles, tubes or pipes, quity. The ancient fictile statues which we &c.: but these involve so many curious and possess are generally small; but Pliny mentions interesting questions, that we reserve them for several figures the size of life,-particularly that of Jupiter, which was deemed worthy of a place in the Capitol, and a Hercules, called "the Fictile" from the materials of which it was composed. Most of the fictile statues Among the most curious products of the known are preserved in the Royal Museum at Fictile Art are the enormous jars and crocks, Naples; but a Bacchanal, of exquisite work-fabricated generally without the aid of the

future consideration, and turn at once to vessels of capacity, which, whether used for dry substances or liquids, are, in France and England, known by the common name of pottery.

wheel,-the use of which goes many centuries farther back than the Christian æra. In Italy, the interior of these crocks is glazed when they are designed to contain oil or wine; but in Spain they saturate them with water, and sometimes with oil, which is said to render them impermeable, even after the water has evaporated. The sides of the Spanish crocks or jars are, indeed, so very thick, that, when once they have been thoroughly saturated, it would take a long time to effect their complete desiccation.

(To be concluded in our next.)

Notices to Correspondents.

GENERAL NOTICE.-The great expense necessarily incurred in the production of this Work, and which can only be met, with any degree of remuneration, by an Increased Circulation, compels us to request the Recommendation of it, by our Readers, to their Friends and Acquaintances; in return for which, we pledge ourselves not only to continue unaltered those Peculiar Features of the DECORATOR'S ASSISTANT which have already won Approbation, but also to extend its value by presenting an Increased Quantity of Original Designs, &c., the nature of which shall be such as to render the Work, in time, a Standard one of Reference on all points connected with Decoration, either Useful or Ornamental.

practical description relating to any of the subjects purposed to be treated on in this Work.

The Second Monthly Part of the DECORATOR'S ASSISTANT, in a handsome illustrated wrapper, is now ready. Price 7d.

THE HYDROSTATIC VALVE.-This new contrivance for the prevention of those noxious vapours arising from sewer-gratings is the inven- We shall be happy to receive any Contributions of a tion of Mr. F. Abate, Neapolitan Civil Engineer and Architect, for which a prize was given on the 10th of June, by the Society of Arts and Commerce. It consists of a spherical recipient, open at the top and bottom, placed between the grating and the mouth of the drain; and a ball specifically lighter than water placed in the recipient. It is evident that the ball will con- M. O'H. (Manchester) has sent us the following:stantly close the entrance of the sewer, and, therefore, the evaporation arising from it will be shut in, but when water comes into the recipient, the ball will float, and so, the drain being open, the water discharges itself freely. The recipient, as well as the ball, may be constructed of different and

very common

materials. For the first, cast-iron, baked clay, or cement would be very proper. The second may be made with sheet-iron, copper, or wood (covered with a good varnish repellant of water), or with Indian-rubber inflated. This apparatus will be very cheap, and will never require reparation. It is applicable with equal utility, both to the sewers of streets, and to domestic purposes, in the places were foul water is discharged.

"Sir,-From reading your periodical, I am induced to go
to London, and study the higher branches of my pro-
fession (house-painting), and would beg the favour of
your advice, or that of any of your correspondents, as to
what time of the year trade is most brisk. I would further
desire to know what part I should visit in order to see
the best work, and also what are the qualifications
necessary to obtain employment in a respectable esta-
blishment. Your humble servant, M. O'H."
JACQUES.-The following is Hebert's plan for making a
simple and effectual copying machine :-"Take a roller of
beech, or any hard wood, about eighteen inches long and
one inch in diameter, and having cut a longitudinal slit
therein, nearly the whole length, insert in it, and fasten
very neatly with glue, a strip of strong cloth, about four-
teen inches wide and eighteen inches long; the remaining
part of the roller will serve as a handle, and may be cut
with several faces to obtain a firmer hold. To use this
copying-press, lay the sheet of paper on which the letter is
written upon the strip of cloth; on that place the thin
copying paper, and upon these lay a thick baize or horse-
hair pad; then roll the whole round the roller, and grasp-
ing that part where the cloth is with the left hand, turn
the roller round with the right, gradually increasing the
grasp with the left; the pressure becomes very great, and
quite sufficient to transfer the letter to the copying
paper."

R. C.-The paragraph in question was extracted by us, and
therefore we cannot vouch for its authenticity, although
we see no reason to doubt it.
ENDLESS LEATHERN STROPS.-A correspondent ("J. J.
B.") in answer to "A. B.'s" query in No. 5, suggests
that the skin from the calf's neck be preserved and
dressed. He thinks that in that state it would have the
desired effect.

MODE OF TRANSFERRING THE FORMS OF NATURAL OBJECTS, OR THE PATTERNS ON RIBBONS, TO PAPER.-Saturate common writing paper with porter, coffee mixed with sugar and cream, or a solution of achill, then place the objects whose form is to be transferred on the prepared paper and expose them to the action of the sun's rays or those of a common fire. Various other solutions may be used for the same purpose, as bichromate of potash, yellow chromate of potash, &c. When figured satin ribbons are saturated with such solutions and exposed to the sun's rays, the raised patterns are given in beautiful relief in a lighter tint of the same colour as the ground. The principle is capable of a very extended application.??? (Norwich).-The following is M. Guimet's receipt for Liverpool Journal.

J.

B. R. inquires for a remedy for that peculiar appearance in bound books, technically called an "offset." We know no cure; the preventive consists in well drying the sheets before binding. If any of our correspondents, however, know anything more of the subject, we shall be glad to hear of it.

making a yellow colour of a golden tint much more intense than the well-known Naples yellow:-"Take of carefully washed antimoniate of potass one part, and of minium two parts, grind, and mix them well into a paste; then dry the paste, and reduce it to a powder; and, lastly, expose the powder for four or five hours to a red heat, taking care not to raise the temperature so high as to disengage the oxygen from the lead and antimony."

THE CARPENTERS' TRIBUTE.-A beautiful piece of wood-work, representing a monumental tribune, was lately carried by eight men in a procession of five hundred, to the residence of M. Berryer, Rue Neuve des Petits Champ, Paris, and there presented to him as the only tribute of gratitude or recompense he would receive, for having ably de-nications to the Editor are to be addressed); and to be had fended the body of carpenters, accused some of all Booksellers.-Saturday, July 24, 1847. time since of a coalition.

London: Published at the Office of the SPORTSMAN'MAGAZINE, 17, Holywell-street, Strand (where all commu

Printed by W. COOLE, Lumley Court, Strand.

An Illustrated Glossary of Technical
Terms used in Architectural and
Interior Decoration.

(Continued from page 74.)

ANCHOR, the anchor in Grecian and Roman

architecture is an ornament of an anchor or arrow-headed shape, employed with the egg ornament to decorate and enrich mouldings. The "anchor and egg" ornament, as it is denominated, of which the fillet surrounding the "egg" is a representation, is peculiar to the Ionic and Corinthian orders. In decoration, the anchors seen on ancient monuments possess nearly the same form as modern ones, only the stock is wanted in all of them. They are generally double-fluked.

ANCON, in decoration, a curved drinking horn or cup. The arm of a chair.

ABATEMENTS, in heraldic technicalogy, are peculiarly painted escutcheons, dishonouring the bearer. They are as follow:-A DelfDue to one who revokes his challenge. A Point Dexter Parted Tenn-Due to one who overboasts his courage or capability. 4 Point in Point Sanguine-Due to one who does not ANCONES, the ornaments depending from exert himself in battle. A Point Champain the corona of Ionic doorways against the anteTenn-Due to one that kills his prisoner after pagments. The corners or quoins of walls, quarter has been demanded and leave given crossbeams, or rafters, trusses, or consoles. from the commander to grant it. A Plain A sort of brackets and shouldering pieces, Point Sanguine-Due to a liar. Goar Sinister

Tenn-Due to a coward. A Gusset Sanguine-
Due to effeminacy and lasciviousness.

ALHAMBRA, or MORESCAN, in decoration, so called after the ancient castle and palace of the Mohammedan kings of Granada. The walls are built of a kind of cement of red clay and large pebbles, which, being exposed to the

RIG

air, acquire the hardness of stone. They are beautifully and richly ornamented with blue, carmine, and gold. The annexed engraving will give an idea of the character of its magnificence, supposing the ground to be coloured with carmine and shaded with blue.

apparently supporting the mouldings placed over them. Corbels, consoles, or ornaments cut on the keystones of arches, sometimes serving to support busts or other figures. The two parts or branches of a square, which meet in an angle resembling the letter L.

ANKRED (in heraldry) applied to a cross of the following description in a coat of arms.

+

ARCADE (in architecture), a continued arch, or series of arches, elevated on piers or columns. Arcades are constructed for various duct or a bridge, or in the thickness of a wall

props or columns before both), a temple purposes; sometimes for the carrying an aquehaving a portico in both fronts.

No. 11.-VOL. I.