International studio (30.1906/1907(1907))

Studio-Talk


CARTOON FOR STAINED-GLASS WINDOW
BY ARILD ROSENKRANTZ

Wynford Dewhurst; A Scene in Morocco, by Mr.
G. C. Haite ; The Beach, Paris-Plage, by Mr. J. D.
Fergusson ; and The Mid-day Bleat, by Mr. Algernon
Talmage; and there are many other oil-paintings
and water-colours which claim no small measure
of attention. Altogether, there is much that is
encouraging in the view that the members of the
Society have this year taken of their responsibilities,
and there is great promise of future progress.

An exhibition such as that held at the Grafton
Gallery, in October, entitled “ Artists at Work,”
would have been impossible ten years ago, when
the passion for handicrafts was still in its infancy,
and when craft-workers could not be sure of
patronage and encouragement. The influence of
Morris has been slow in its working, but it has
been so sure that to-day one is in dread of seeing
the desire to produce artistic objects become a
mania of the fashionable world. At this exhibi-
tion a hundred and twenty craft-workers were
represented, and as a great number of these may
frankly be called amateur, it was surprising to
find so much work that was truly good, if not
excellent. Prominent in popularity, and in two
or three instances prominent in merit also, were
the cases of jewellery and personal ornaments.
The carved and coloured horn, so particularly the
prerogative of Lalique, is being handled with skill,
delicacy, and taste by Mr. F. Partridge. Horn
work was also shown by Mrs. Edith Dick, whose
designs are attractive by reason of their extreme
simplicity, and consequently most agreeable to
248

English taste. Among jewellery designers Miss
Halle still holds the high standard that has won
her renown.

In the truly feminine realms of embroidery and
lace one looked in vain for a trace of freshness and
originality of design, and this was most markedly
the case with regard to the great lace industry
of Ireland. Here the lack of modernity carries
with it a prison-bound monotony which cries out
for release. Miss Garnett, the weaver of the
Windermere linens, is a nature worshipper after
the pattern of the Greeks. She draws all her
inspiration from what she sees out of doors.
Another worthy maker of beautiful stuffs is Miss
Charlotte Brown, whose materials bear the stamp
of personality, and carry with them the merit of
cheapness. In the designing and making of book-
covers, also a feminine occupation to a large extent,
there was perhaps less mediocre work to be seen than
in many others. We reproduce on pages 246-7 some
work of this kind exhibited by Miss Phillpott and
Miss Woolrich. An exhibit of stained glass showed,
in all seriousness, the way in which a window is
made, and placed before the public the fact so little
known, that the material itself is as beautiful
to-day in colour as it was in mediaeval times.
The exhibitor, Baron Arild Rosenkrantz, has
gained reputation as the maker of windows which
are rich and harmonious in colour. The revival
of tapestry weaving in England is slow, and at
present no important results can be noted. Miss


FIRE-SCREEN CENTRE

BY THILIP AINSWORTH