Studio: international art (71.1917)

Studio- Talk

until a few months ago, he has for more than a
generation exercised a marked influence on
public taste, especially in matters pertaining
to textile fabrics for personal wear and domestic
use, but also in most other branches of deco-
rative art. Paying little heed to the fashions
of the moment but possessing a remarkably
clear perception of artistic fitness, he resolutely
persevered in carrying out the aims he had at
heart, and it is to his sound judgment of the
artistic qualities of designs and his discernment
of the needs of a discriminating public that the
firm of Liberty and Company owes the unique
position it holds in the world of commerce.
Sir Arthur took a prominent part in many
movements connected with decorative art ; he
was a past President of the Silk Association
and member of numerous other societies, as
well as the author of several publications. He
received the honour of knighthood in 1913,
and his portrait, painted by Mr. Hacker, R.A.,
was reproduced in our article on the Royal
Academy exhibition of the same year.
-

Artists as a body though badly " hit " by the
war—more so, perhaps, than any other profes-
sion—have generously supported the numerous
charitable schemes which the war has called
into being by giving their work for sale, but
many among them have had serious cause to
complain of the injury to their prestige through
the sale of their work by auction at ridiculously
low prices, far below what they might reason-
ably have expected to get in the ordinary way.
No such result will ensue from the Great Art
Lottery organized by the Chelsea Art Union
for the benefit of the blinded soldiers and sailors
of St. Dunstan's Hostel. This Art Union, of
which Mr. Kineton Parkes is honorary secretary,
has been successful in getting together for the
lottery a large number of works of art by a
great many of the foremost artists of the
present day, as well as of the past, and these,
having been shown at the great bazaar at the
Albert Hall early last month, are now on view
at the Chenil Gallery, in King's Road, Chelsea,
until the drawing of the tickets, which will take
place at St. Dunstan's Hostel, Regent's Park,
on Tuesday, July 10, at 4 p.m. The tickets,
which may be obtained at the Chenil Gallery,
cost only 5s. each, and as the prizes will probably
exceed five hundred before the lottery closes,
the chances of securing an important work of

art for " a mere trifle," and that without in any
way bringing discredit on the artist, are very
favourable. _

Some few weeks ago Mr. Joseph Pennell
resigned the presidency of the Senefelder Club
which he had held since the foundation of the
club in 1909, and apropos of this event Mr.
John Copley, who held the post of honorary
secretary until October last, writes us as follows :
" All art lovers know what has been the success
of this small club, and how great have been its
services to lithography. Every one knows
more or less that the success has been associated
with Mr. Pennell's leadership; but I alone,
who as honorary secretary have worked with
him through these years, know how greatly
it was due to his tireless and watchful energy,
to his inspiration and resource, to his far-seeing
unselfishness and to his genuine passion for the
medium that the club represents. The club
.has held about seventy-one exhibitions in
fifteen countries ; most of these exhibitions
Mr. Pennell initiated—often by turning over to
the club a personal invitation for a ' one-man
show ' given to himself. He invariably watched
minutely over the details of every exhibition.
Relations were established for the club with
artists all over the world, and experiments in
the technique of lithography pursued and
stimulated. It was Mr. Pennell who inspired
all this." At a general meeting of the members
subsequent to his resignation, Mr. Pennell was
unanimously invited to become an honorary
member, and he accepted the invitation.

The exhibition of Medallic Art now being
held in the Georgian Hall of Messrs. Waring
and Gillow in Oxford Street contains material
for an instructive study of this art at various
epochs. The display comprises a fine loan
collection of medals from the Renaissance to
the present day, to which various important
private collections have contributed; a large
number of medals and plaquettes by contem-
porary British, French, and Belgian artists, a
few memorial tablets by British artists, and a
group of medals issued in Germany during the
present war, including, among others of sinister
interest, that by which our foes have glorified
their most infamous deed—the sinking of the
" Lusitania." The best of the memorial tablets
are those of a comparatively simple character.

3i