International studio (56.1915)

European Influences in Modern Interior Decoration

upon it or to the person who walks across it.
Designs and colour such as this are in constant
use by the German decorator.
The illustrations of Mr. and Mrs. Ascherman’s
work show that they have been able successfully
to adapt many of the German ideas to distinctly
American problems. A thing of undisputed
artistic merit in one country may not be so in
another. The greatest help that we can get from
these foreign influences is to sense the spirit in
which the artists from those countries worked
and to acquire something of their originality.
Textile fabrics, particularly printed linens and
jutes, were being printed in large quantities by
hand and shipped here until the war broke out.
That was the signal for everything to stop.
Now we are trying to see what we can do for
ourselves in this way and the illustrations show a
number of the printed materials that have been
designed by Mr. Besel. It is most encouraging
to find an effort being made here in this direction.
The best of the schools in interior decoration

in America are teaching the period and their
colour is that of the Japanese print. Both are
safe, absolutely safe. If a decorator or an artist
uses neutralised colour constantly, forgetting that
a strong virile people need to express themselves
in pure, intense colour, the ability to use the latter
passes out of his power. If no attempt is made
to produce interiors and furniture of new and
original designs we can do nothing toward an
American contribution to modern decoration.
Probably not the most beautiful object that Pro-
fessor Joseph Hoffmann has made, nor the most
exquisite boudoir that Martine has draped, can
hold its worth for as long as some of the wonder-
ful furniture and rooms that fifteenth-century
Florence brought to light. But there surely is a
place for the modern idea. Until we are able
to produce entirely by ourselves fine furniture
and interiors that are works of art, let us
accept with gratitude the influences both of the
periods and of the great artists in contemporary
Europe.


ROOM IN OLD ROSE, BLUE-GREEN AND YELLOW
WITH BLACK FURNITURE AND PANELLING

BY E. H. & G. G. ASCHERMAN

LXXXVII