rated metals that have perished; and thus many
fine works of art have been spoiled.[220]

The use of bad materials has therefore been as unfortunate for art as
that of pure gold, which has tempted so many ignorant persons to burn
golden embroideries and tapestries, and melt down the ore they
contain. How little of all that human skill and invention have
carefully elaborated is now preserved to us! To gold and silver
textiles their materials have been often a fatal dower.

It has sometimes puzzled any but the most experienced embroiderers to
distinguish between the stuffs woven with the golden threads on the
surface, and finely brocaded or patterned in the loom; and those other
cloths, embroidered by hand, which have been so manipulated that
hardly an atom of the gold can be detected at the back. This is done
by a technical mode of treating the surface, which is more easily
shown than described. The gold is really drawn into the spaces between
the threads of the canvas or linen grounding, but never pulled
through. For many reasons this is an advantage, and when executed
cunningly, as it was in England in the twelfth century, it is rich,
beautiful, lasting, and economical. It is a peculiar mark of the "opus
Anglicanum," and it is to be seen in the mitre at Munich, where this
stitch is employed on a white satin ground;[221] also in the working
of the two pluvials at San Giovanni Laterano at Rome, and at the
Museum at Bologna, as well as that at Madrid, which are all three
English of the thirteenth century, by design as well as by stitches.

I cannot close this chapter without naming the many schools of gold
embroidery in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The King of
Bavaria has an establishment for gold work, and this is very finely
carried out, highly raised, and richly designed.[222] In Spain there
is also a Royal School, where stately works are executed.

It is to be regretted that the modern designs are motiveless, and not
so beautiful as the old ones, and it is very difficult to have any
ancient piece of work copied exactly. Little modernisms creep in
wherever the pattern has to be fitted into a new shape; for the
accomplished needlewoman is seldom an artist.

All honour is due to certain manufacturers at Lyons who are working in
the spirit of the old masters, and have been seriously considering how
best to reproduce the beautiful soft surface of the gold thread of
which the secret was lost in the fifte