The word enamel is known to more people than the word smalt, and this, apparently, explains the fact that the etymological dictionaries of the Russian language include only the first of them. Let's try to fill this gap. What is smalt? The seventeen-volume Dictionary of the modern Russian Literary language (SSRL) indicates that this word has two meanings:: "1. Bright blue paint for painting paper, glass, porcelain and pottery [examples from the texts are not given]. 2. Colored opaque glass of various shapes for mosaic works; a plate, a cube made of such glass [later examples - from texts of the XX century]". The lexicographic reference indicates that the word smalt was first recorded in the Explanatory Dictionary of V. I. Dahl in 1863 and that it dates back to the German Schmalta. In general, the SSRL article repeats what is said in the Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language under the editorship of D. N. Ushakov, with the difference that the latter refers the Russian smalt to the Italian smalto, and the entire article is preceded by a special mark). So, in the first place, both fundamental dictionaries put the meaning of "blue paint". However, the Explanatory dictionary of S. I. Ozhegov and N. Yu. Shvedova of 1996 gives only the second meaning: "smalta, sobir. Kubi- page 116 tiles or plates of colored opaque glass for mosaic work". We would add another value - an artistic product made of colored cubes of opaque glass, for example: The temple is decorated with wonderful smalts, of which the best is Transfiguration; the frescoes are tarnished and crumbled, and the smalts are as good as new. Let's turn to the history of the word smalt in Russian. It would be natural to look for it in the works of M. V. Lomonosov, since he paid great attention to the development of mosaic art in Russia and under his leadership a factory was established in Ust-Ruditsy for the production of colored glass, which was used to make beads, glass beads and smalt for mosaics. But Lomonoso ... Read more