DOI issue:
Nr. 335 (April 1925)
DOI article:Perrault, James: Furniture of old Spain
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19985#0053
mceRnAcionAL
KITCHEN FROM THE HOUSE OF EL GRECO, TOLEDO
FURNITURE OF OLD SPAIN
Spanish furniture can- Spanish furniture, in Spite entiate between the furni-
^ not, by any stretch of 0f the Oriental influence of ture of Palaces, churches
the imagination, be the MoOTS, Was sturdily and farmhouses; to become
worthy of that unfortunate /• familiar with processes and
epithet quaint. Praise designs used m making the
God for that. It is no more
JAMES TERRAULT elaborate embroideries,
quaint than a butcher's leathers, brocades, iron-
block. It requires for a setting in a modern home work, tiles and potteries, one must devote a life-
only what good judgment, ruthless elimination time to the task. But to appreciate and recreate
and a moderate expenditure can provide. It is so the beauties of the best Spanish period, about the
far from being "arty" that the fat lady in the seventeenth century, is not very difficult In the
next house will surely say to her husband, as she first place, little furniture was used; the decorative
sinks back in her pink taffeta pillows under her value of space—both wall and floor space—was
rose shaded lamp: "Do you know, dear, I do employed to furnish the most striking beauty of
think the Blank's new furniture is just a little bit Spanish interiors. In the second place, the settings
crude?" were usually simple and of a more or less fixed
The honest minded person, who wishes to build type. And in the third place, all the details for
and furnish a home—not merely to dabble in the the reproduction of a Spanish interior need not
appropriate patter of a period—will find that be antique; modern textiles, plaster work, iron
there is not too much to be learned about Spanish work and tiles reproduce faithfully and skillfully
furniture—not nearly so much, for instance, as Spanish patterns. Even the furniture can be
must be learned about English and French styles, duplicated, although the cost of such reprodue-
Of course if one undertakes to study the types tions, because of the hand work necessary, is often
peculiar to the different parts of Spain; to differ- greater than the cost of old pieces.
APRIL I Q 2 5
fifty-three
KITCHEN FROM THE HOUSE OF EL GRECO, TOLEDO
FURNITURE OF OLD SPAIN
Spanish furniture can- Spanish furniture, in Spite entiate between the furni-
^ not, by any stretch of 0f the Oriental influence of ture of Palaces, churches
the imagination, be the MoOTS, Was sturdily and farmhouses; to become
worthy of that unfortunate /• familiar with processes and
epithet quaint. Praise designs used m making the
God for that. It is no more
JAMES TERRAULT elaborate embroideries,
quaint than a butcher's leathers, brocades, iron-
block. It requires for a setting in a modern home work, tiles and potteries, one must devote a life-
only what good judgment, ruthless elimination time to the task. But to appreciate and recreate
and a moderate expenditure can provide. It is so the beauties of the best Spanish period, about the
far from being "arty" that the fat lady in the seventeenth century, is not very difficult In the
next house will surely say to her husband, as she first place, little furniture was used; the decorative
sinks back in her pink taffeta pillows under her value of space—both wall and floor space—was
rose shaded lamp: "Do you know, dear, I do employed to furnish the most striking beauty of
think the Blank's new furniture is just a little bit Spanish interiors. In the second place, the settings
crude?" were usually simple and of a more or less fixed
The honest minded person, who wishes to build type. And in the third place, all the details for
and furnish a home—not merely to dabble in the the reproduction of a Spanish interior need not
appropriate patter of a period—will find that be antique; modern textiles, plaster work, iron
there is not too much to be learned about Spanish work and tiles reproduce faithfully and skillfully
furniture—not nearly so much, for instance, as Spanish patterns. Even the furniture can be
must be learned about English and French styles, duplicated, although the cost of such reprodue-
Of course if one undertakes to study the types tions, because of the hand work necessary, is often
peculiar to the different parts of Spain; to differ- greater than the cost of old pieces.
APRIL I Q 2 5
fifty-three