Suger stood always for the ideal in art and character.  He had the courage of his convictions in spite of the fulminations of St. Bernard.  Instead of using the enormous sums of money at his disposal for importing Byzantine workmen, he preferred to use his funds and his own influence in developing a native French school of artificers.

It is interesting to discover that Suger, among his many adaptations and restorations at St. Denis, incorporated some of the works of St. Eloi into his own compositions.  For instance, he took an ivory pulpit, and remodelled it with the addition of copper animals.  Abbots of St. Denis made beautiful offerings to the church.  One of them, Abbot Matthiew de Vendome, presented a wonderful reliquary, consisting of a golden head and bust, while another gave a reliquary to contain the jaw of St. Louis.  Suger presented many fine products of his own art and that of his pupils, among others a great cross six feet in height.  A story is told of him, that, while engaged in making a particularly splendid crucifix for St. Denis, he ran short of precious stones, nor could he in any way obtain what he required, until some monks came to him and offered to sell him a superb lot of stones which had formerly embellished the dinner service of Henry I. of England, whose nephew had given them to the convent in exchange for indulgences and masses!  In these early and half-barbaric days of magnificence, form and delicacy of execution were not understood.  Brilliancy and lavish display of sparkling jewels, set as thickly as possible without reference to a general scheme of composition, was the standard of beauty; and it must be admitted that, with such stones available, no more effective school of work has ever existed than that of which such works Charlemagne’s crown, the Iron Crown of Monza, and the crown of King Suinthila, are typical examples.  Abbot Suger lamented when he lacked a sufficient supply of stones; but he did not complain when there occurred a deficiency in workmen.  It was comparatively easy to train artists who could make settings and bind stones together with soldered straps!

In 1352 a royal silversmith of France, Etienne La Fontaine, made a “fauteuil of silver and crystal decorated with precious stones,” for the king.

The golden altar of Basle is almost as interesting as the great Pala d’Oro in Venice, of which mention is made elsewhere.  It was ordered by Emperor Henry the Pious, before 1024, and presented to the Prime Minister at Basle.  The central figure of the Saviour has at its feet two tiny figures, quite out of scale; these are intended for the donors, Emperor Henry and his queen, Cunegunda.

Silversmith’s work in Spain was largely in Byzantine style, while some specimens of Gothic and Roman are also to be seen there.  Moorish influence is noticeable, as in all Spanish design, and filigree work of Oriental origin is frequently to be met with.  Some specimens of champleve enamel are also to be seen, though this art was generally confined to Limoges during the Middle Ages.  A Guild was formed in Toledo which was in flourishing condition in 1423.