entury.]

Many charming designs for this kind of stitch may be found in the old
German pattern-books of the Renaissance (Spitzen Musterbuecher), and
also in those Venetian "Corone di Vertuose Donne" lately reprinted by
the Venetian publisher Organia. These are worthy of a place in every
library of art.

It would seem best to place the chain stitch named "tambour" in this
class, as it naturally assimilates with the plaited and cross
stitches. It is so called from the drum-shaped frame of the last
century in which it was usually worked.

_Part 5._

OPUS PLUMARIUM (_or plumage work_).

The "Opus Plumarium" is one of the most ancient groups, and includes
all flat stitches, of which the distinguishing mark is, that they
_pass_ each other, overlap, and blend together. "Stem," "twist,"
"Japanese stitch," and "long and short" or "embroidery stitch," belong
to this class, to which I propose to restore its original title of
plumage work.

The origin of the name is much disputed, but it is supposed to have
pointed to a decoration of plumage work, and we find that feathers
have been an element in artistic design from the earliest times. There
were patterns in Egyptian painting which certainly had feathers for
their motive (fig. 21, p. 208).

Semper, finding that birds'-skins were a recognized article for trade
in China, 2205 B.C.,[333] believes that they were used as onlaid
application for architectural decoration; and this is possible, for we
still obtain from thence specimens of work in different materials
partly onlaid in whole feathers, whereas sometimes the longer threads
of the feathers are woven by the needle into the ground web. In Her
Majesty's collection there are some specimens from Burmah--creatures
resembling sphinxes or deformed cherubim, executed in feathers,
applied on silk and outlined in gold. We have likewise from Burmah, in
the Indian Museum, two peacocks[334] similarly worked; the legs and
beaks are solidly raised in gold thread; and the outlines also are
raised in gold, giving the appearance of enamelling. The _cloisonne_
effect of brilliant colours, contrasted and enhanced by the separation
of the gold outlines, can be seen to perfection in specimens of the
beautiful Pekin jewellers' work, where the feathers are inlaid in gold
ornaments for the head and in the handles of fans. Nothing but gems
can be more resplendent.

[Illustration: Fig. 21.
Feather patterns, Egyptian.]

These survivals