Mahl-stick. A stick with a pad at the end, upon which the painter rests the wrist of his right arm while working.
Mahogany. Wood of the Swietenia mahogoni of Jamaica and Honduras. Satin-wood, or green mahogany, is the Chloroxyllon; mottled, or African mahogany, is the Khaya; Indian mahogany is the Cedrela toona.
Mahoitres, O. E. The name of a singular fashion of the 15th century—“of prankyd gownes, and shoulders up set, moss and flocks sewed within”—of padding up the shoulder to give a broad appearance to the chest. (See Figs. 51, 355, and 469.)
Mail (from the Fr. maille, the meshes of a net). Applied to chain or ringed armour. “Rich mayles that ronke (strong) were and round.”
Mainefaire, O. E. The covering for a horse’s mane. It was made of overlapping plates, like a lobster’s tail; and was fastened to the testière by buttons, and round the animal’s neck by straps. (Meyrick.)
Maintenance, Cap of, Her. (See Chapeau.)
Fig. 439. Majolica Plate (Urbino Ware).
Maiolica or Majolica. The Italian name for the glazed earthenware introduced by Moorish potters from the island of Majorca. Originally these terms were only applied to “lustre wares,” but from the 16th century they were generally applied to the glazed earthenware of Italy. A coarser lead-glazed lustred ware was known as mezza-majolica. The distinguishing characteristics of the Majolica ware are “coarseness of ware, intricacy of pattern, and occasionally prismatic glaze.” It is also named Faience, from the botega at Faenza, and, when decorated with subjects after designs of Raphael, “Raffaelle-ware.” Fayence, terraglia, as distinct from Porcelain, is formed of potter’s clay (hence its English name Pottery) mixed with marl and sand, and is soft or hard according to the nature of the composition, and the degree of heat under which it is fired in the kiln. English earthenware is soft, while stone-ware, Queen’s ware, &c., are hard. Soft wares are either unglazed, or lustrous, or glazed, or enamelled. The Italian lustrous ware is properly, and the glazed ware improperly, but generally called Majolica.
Majesty (It. Maesta), Chr. A conventional representation of the Saviour in glory, on a throne, encompassed by a nimbus, and surrounded by cherubim, and the four evangelistic symbols, and the letters Α and Ω. “The only existing document relating to Cimabue shows that he was employed in 1301 on a mosaic ‘Majesty’ in the tribune of the Duomo at Pisa.” (Eastlake.)