International studio (24.1904/1905(1905))

Studio-Talk


STUDIO-TALK
(From our Own Correspondents)
ON DON.—The statu-
ette called The Chate-
laine, by Miss Eleanor
Fortescue - Brickdale,
here illustrated, is on view at
the Leicester Galleries. Made
of coloured plaster, it realises
a romantic and reminiscent
mood, as of some figure that
has moved through Scott’s
novels, the lady of some castle,
or the guardian, perhaps, of an
imprisoned queen. The gold
pattern worked upon the dress
is carried out with consider-
able boldness, but remains
subordinate to the general
rich scheme of colour that
emphasises the careful model-
ling and arrangement of the
drapery.
In the exhibits of book-
binding at the various arts
and crafts exhibitions, our
attention has been aroused by
the vigour with which the art
is being prosecuted, and by
the fact that the designs seem
to be getting better in so far as
they approach nearer a right
understanding of the limita-
tions of the art. A truer
knowledge is gradually being
arrived at, by experience, of
what is suitable and of what is
in good taste. At the same
time there is a constant
reaching out for fresh im-
pulses in design, and whole,
some attempts are evident
everywhere to make the art a
living art, as it should be in an
age so great in letters as our
own. Perhaps to Mr. G.
Sutcliffe and his partner Mr. F. Sangorski, the
highest praise is to be awarded for the example
they are setting in holding fast to the essential
principles of beautiful binding. They have carried
their designs perhaps further in the right direction
than any modern exhibitors; and they have, at the
same time, evolved many designs of originality,
250

not startling originality, for a
startling book cover is a vul-
garity ; yet perhaps from their
hands has come the most
daring design in recent work.
We have seen at their bindery
a book-cover with a peacock
with tail in gold tooling, that
carries that craft about as far
as it has been taken. The
examples which we are enabled
to give here will show how
perfectly they have understood
the beauty that lies in the
legitimate practice of the art.
In Southampton Row Messrs.
Sutcliffe and Sangorski have
a school, and from this school
some of their pupils are
sending good work; it is
pleasant to know that as long
as they study there the right
principles of the art are being
instilled into them daily.
Some years ago Messrs.
Sutcliffe and Sangorski
bought a large consignment
of Niger skins, no two of which
are exactly the same in tone;
and with the insight of true
artists, these craftsmen use
the slight variation as part of
their art. We have been
privileged to see at their
premises a set of several
volumes of one work bound
in this leather, and the slight
diversion from uniformity of
colour in the volumes is a
thing beautiful in itself; while
the slight natural stains, which
the machine-perfection ideal
of the ordinary binder would
lead him to reject, are by
these artists sometimes used
to lend a subtle variation
to the background of inlaid
coloured leathers and gold tooling. The skins
are brought from Karo, which is about 1,000
miles up country from Lagos, and the last con-
signment brought to this country was about two
years ago by the Royal Niger Company.
It must always be remembered that there is

STATUETTE “THE CHATELAINE”
BY ELEANOR FORTESCUE-BRICKDALE