DOI Heft:
No. 138 (September, 1904)
DOI Artikel:Frykholm, Sunny: The imaginative and realistic art of Carl Larsson
DOI Artikel:Jones, Francis Arthur: Some ancient wedding-coffers
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19882#0327
Some Ancient Wedding-Coffers
its character by some miniature. This work, of
which the publisher allows us to reproduce some
examples, Larsson likes better than anything else
he has done. What might not art gain if he had
the opportunity to develop his undoubted abili-
ties as an imaginative illustrator ? But the
world thinks too much of what is realistic to
appreciate his most sincere art, and thus loses
work which is the outcome of his true artistic
inspiration, whilst it eagerly grasps at what is
easier to comprehend. The world insists on
enjoying the play of sun-rays on the surface
of the water, not caring to penetrate its depth.
s
OME ANCIENT WEDDING-
COFFERS. BY FRANCIS A.
JONES.
The collecting of wedding-coffers, or
" cassones," as they are sometimes called, is a
hobby which has been indulged in by many
persons of celebrity. The Empress of Russia
possesses several magnificent specimens dating
back to the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
One of these, which was given to her by her
father, the late Grand Duke of Hesse-Darm-
stadt, is said to have belonged to Catherine
of Braganza. It is a large chest made of solid
oak, and elaborately carved on the lid and sides.
The front of the chest represents the Marriage
Feast in Cana, while the sides are ornamented
" erland and singoalla " by c. larsson with allegorical groups and pastoral scenes.
Another wedding-coffer, also in the possession
of the Russian Empress, is of Dutch design,
shadows, wholly immaterial in their imaginative made of maple-wood, and painted by the famous
quality, but yet as full of -life as the artist's most Paul Rubens. Our own Queen Alexandra also
realistic work. Larsson has here produced a won- possesses many wedding-coffers, the one which
derful effect with views and figures in silhouette, she values most having been given to her
and with a few lines full
of rhythm and grace he
has so made use of the
white paper as to make
his figures stand out like
reliefs. It is due to Mr.
Albert Bonnier that this
fine work has been exe-
cuted. The edition de luxe
of "Singoalla," in which
these drawings appear, is an
honour to Swedish book-
art. The book is artistic in
the smallest detail; as in
the first capital of each
chapter, which symbolizes Italian wedding-coffer sixteenth century
3°3
its character by some miniature. This work, of
which the publisher allows us to reproduce some
examples, Larsson likes better than anything else
he has done. What might not art gain if he had
the opportunity to develop his undoubted abili-
ties as an imaginative illustrator ? But the
world thinks too much of what is realistic to
appreciate his most sincere art, and thus loses
work which is the outcome of his true artistic
inspiration, whilst it eagerly grasps at what is
easier to comprehend. The world insists on
enjoying the play of sun-rays on the surface
of the water, not caring to penetrate its depth.
s
OME ANCIENT WEDDING-
COFFERS. BY FRANCIS A.
JONES.
The collecting of wedding-coffers, or
" cassones," as they are sometimes called, is a
hobby which has been indulged in by many
persons of celebrity. The Empress of Russia
possesses several magnificent specimens dating
back to the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
One of these, which was given to her by her
father, the late Grand Duke of Hesse-Darm-
stadt, is said to have belonged to Catherine
of Braganza. It is a large chest made of solid
oak, and elaborately carved on the lid and sides.
The front of the chest represents the Marriage
Feast in Cana, while the sides are ornamented
" erland and singoalla " by c. larsson with allegorical groups and pastoral scenes.
Another wedding-coffer, also in the possession
of the Russian Empress, is of Dutch design,
shadows, wholly immaterial in their imaginative made of maple-wood, and painted by the famous
quality, but yet as full of -life as the artist's most Paul Rubens. Our own Queen Alexandra also
realistic work. Larsson has here produced a won- possesses many wedding-coffers, the one which
derful effect with views and figures in silhouette, she values most having been given to her
and with a few lines full
of rhythm and grace he
has so made use of the
white paper as to make
his figures stand out like
reliefs. It is due to Mr.
Albert Bonnier that this
fine work has been exe-
cuted. The edition de luxe
of "Singoalla," in which
these drawings appear, is an
honour to Swedish book-
art. The book is artistic in
the smallest detail; as in
the first capital of each
chapter, which symbolizes Italian wedding-coffer sixteenth century
3°3