Description
Classic and much sought-after German blacksmithing text translated into English in 2002.
(See Metzger’s two other books offered by Artisan: Classical Techniques of Hand Forged Iron, and Pattern Book for Artist Blacksmiths. Also see the 2 book set: Descriptive Drawing for Metalwork & Workbook for Descriptive Drawing).
FROM THE ORIGINAL PREFACE:
(The) teaching of style should be easy to understand and is presented without any material not relevant to the smith. It would be considered a success if it enabled the smith to identify the period of a style with confidence, to copy an object with the particular characteristics of a style, and to know the conditions and requirements of a stylistically correct design.
The man in the shop requires a book adapted closely to his requirements and gives him everything he needs to know. For his practical work, to distinguish the principal stylistic periods in general is sufficient. The distinctions between early and late Gothic, early and late Renaissance, and between Italian, French and German Renaissance must be left for his later study, and would only be confusing in an introduction to style.
Until now, all of the published works on style and art history are either too general, or too scientifically detailed, often both. They are of little use to the practical craftsman. He must have the material of interest as briefly as possible, easy to understand and to visualize. The author has worked toward this goal.
