A Masterly Hand / Scientia Artis 9

265 Emmanuelle Mercier and Delphine Steyaert 14 264 14.6 14.7 rosette contains a six-branched star (fig. 14.7). The description of this sumptu- ous decorative repertory is not yet complete, for the gown is covered with a chequered pattern of blue and gold sgraffito rectangles (fig. 14.2) . The complex decoration of the gown is mainly visible at the figure’s right foot. The satin gloss and greenish tone of the blue paint differ from the matt dark blue used on the cloak lining. The azurite is painted directly onto the gold without any dark underlayer and its appearance could indicate the use of a different binder. The gown is hemmed with a sgraffito letter-border that reads ‘ ave [maria] gratia ple[na]’ (Lk 1:28). The decoration of the W-shaped ­ neckline combines a punched stippled surface, flowers executed in brown glaze and dot-and-star punches. The Virgin presents the naked Child on a cloth decorated with fine parallel lines in sgraffito varying from blue to violet and bordered with a series of