International studio (59.1916)

Arts and Crafts tn Church Ornamentation


FONT IN ST. THOMAS’ CHURCH,
NEW YORK

BERTRAM G. GOODHUE, ARCHITECT
WOODWORK BY IRVING & CASSON
PANELS BY THOMAS WATSON BALL

built and in their decora¬
tion and furnishing are
endless opportunities for
the artist and craftsman.
The essential elements of
church decoration—as of all
decoration—are form, col¬
our, and design. These are
controlled by traditional
customs of the church, which
through centuries of use are
found to be both practical
and beautiful. The medi¬
ums through which the art¬
ist may express himself are
many. One finds stone,
wood, plaster, glass, the
baser and precious metals,
jewels, textiles, and pigment
blended and welded together
to form a great and glorious
unit. Setting aside the
structural parts of the
church building, we will
consider the ornaments of
the church: the furniture,
utensils, and apparel neces¬
sary for the proper per-
formance of its services.
The principal object in
every church—the one es-
sential thing—is the altar.
It is the holy of holies,
around and upon which
should be lavished all that is most beautiful and
precious. Although the altar itself is by ancient
custom without ornament, its front is covered with
the antependium or frontal, of the correct colour,
which may be of metal (some of the medieval ones
were of gold plates with jewels and enamel work),
or of wood carved and embellished with gold and
colour, or as is more usual of woven stuff with
embroidered or applied decoration. The high
altar of the Chapel of the Intercession, New
York, shown in the illustration, is a very beauti-
ful specimen of a modern American altar, and is
most unusual both in conception and treatment.
Imbedded in the front of the altar, held in place by
a vine of gold against a black ground, are stone
relics of the sanctuaries of the Christian faith; in
the centre is a fragment of rock from Calvary,
also one from Bethlehem, while on either side—

the fruits of the tree as it were—are pieces of
stone from the great cathedrals of the old world.
The chalice and paten must be of gold or silver
and, together with the other altar plate and the
altar-cross and candlesticks, may be exquisite
specimens of the metal-worker’s art, though very
beautiful crosses and candlesticks can be made of
wood carved, gilded and treated with colour.
The desk for the altar book is preferably of wood,
as metal is apt to scratch and mar the elaborately
bound book, a very fine example of which is
to be seen in the altar book of Saint Clement’s
Church, Philadelphia.
The communion rail dividing the sanctuary
from the choir may be of solid stone, metal, or
wood, or two movable kneeling benches may be
used instead. Opportunities for elaboration are
again found in the seats for the choir. There may

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