International studio (23.1904)

Clement Heat on


PLAQUE IN CLOISONNE BY CLEMENT HEATON

young artist in tentative efforts, disappointments,
and recommencements.
In 1884, an enamel dish in a curiosity shop
in Seven Dials attracted his attention. Just then
the subject of wall decoration of a permanent
kind was strongly to the front, for the damp
English climate spoilt a great deal of what was
done, and mosaics were judged unsuitable for
positions where much decoration was required.
The “plaque” above referred to, seen for many
evenings in succession in the dull and dismal
atmosphere of a London winter, suggested to our
artist—who was ever seeking for modern applica-
tions of ancient artistic traditions and practice—a
new departure, viz., the use of cloisonne as a wall
covering. This idea was a brilliant one, but in
dealing with it Mr. Heaton was absolutely alone,
and the dish in Seven Dials was his only master.
Little did he realise at that time the difficulties he
would have to surmount and the rich harvest of


WINDOWS IN LEADED GLASS REPRESENTING “SPRING,” “SUMMER,” AND “AUTUMN” BY CLEMENT HEATON

2I5