Studio: international art (1.1893)

Artistic Houses

A portion of the dado is in place, and the Vision of place in the Siege Perilous is well advanced. The
the Holy Grail, the cartoon for which is reproduced former we hope to find exhibited at the forthcoming
on page 222 by kind permission of Messrs. George Arts and Crafts Exhibition.

Bell & Son (from " Edward Burne-Jones, a Record The tables and chairs, the buffet (not shown),
and Review "), is just completed. and the dining hatch, deserve special notice, while

This panel will hang on the wall not shown in the carpet is perhaps the most noteworthy item in
the illustration, and is planned to allow for a door- a splendid room, since it is one of Mr. Morris's
head in the extreme right of the composition, most successful designs and. large enough to ex-
Another, representing a party seated at the banquet- hort admiration on that ground alone. The ceiling,
ing board, The Arrival of Sir Galahad to take his in delicately moulded plaster, also commands atten-
tion, and yet keeps its right place. The
painted ceilings, both in the entrance hall
^ and staircase deserve study, not because

they are 'hand-painted,' but because of
their beautiful forms and dainty colours.
The delicate tones, like those of embroi-
dery on old white silk, are in shades
of pinks, purples, tender greens, and
spring yellows, on a pale creamy
ground, the whole bright yet light
and with an aerial effect not kept
in the photographs wherein the
i$ pattern seems to bring the roof
WL down, a result entirely absent in the
H[ originals. This lightness of the
ceilings and carpets with the un-
touched oak of much of the
panelling and furniture, gives an
air of gaiety without vulgarity,
most unusual in work of this
school. On the walls of the ves-
tibule a delicate pattern in printed
silk and linen, and in the draw-
ing-room a rich warm silk tapes-
try, unite in preserving the same
harmony of sumptuous decoration
kept within proper proportion.
One has but to compare " Stan-
more Hall " with houses of equally
elaborate adornment to feel that in
this respect it has no rival. The
large ornament and bold forms Mr.
Morris delights in; prove their power
to blend into a perfect whole, elabo-
rate but in no way overwhelming.
The modelled ceiling in the vesti-
bule, and several others in the house, are
left in pure low-toned white, so that their
rich decoration keeps its place. The
staircase with its solid balustrade of oak
inlaid with dark walnut, is an important
feature of the central hall. The photo-
graph exaggerates its scale, and empha-
Messrs. Bedford. Lmere &■ Co.) sizes unduly the decoration.

ARE, EXECUTED BY MESSRS. H.