DOI Heft:
No.9 (December, 1893)
DOI Artikel:French decorative art at the Grafton Galleries
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17189#0114
The French Decorative Exhibition
p
RENCH DECORATIVE ART AT regard for the pocket of the masses. For a sight
THE GRAFTON GALLERIES. of. each y°u Pa>' a shilling, and so the parallel
might be pursued, and yet the fundamental diver-
For the moment it would seem as if gencies be left untouched; for underneath the
the decorative arts of France and Eng- similarity is a vital difference. The native habit and
land had become one, or at least that their crafts- mode of thought may touch each other in passing,
men were looking to the same ideal, and phrasing but the classic perception of selection which has
the same creed with the merely local difference of always distinguished France, is far removed from
accent. The " Arts and Crafts" interest the the romantic love of legend and history, which is
Parisians, the French decorative display at the surely the underlying principle in British art.
Grafton Galleries interests the artistic Londoner. Your true Briton prizes comfort before elegance,
No doubt each in his inmost heart feels that and provided each item satisfies his taste, will not
conscious superiority of parochial patriotism, which so much as think of the effect of a complete
" THE WILLOWS." PHOTOGRAPHED FROM NATURE BY HENRY DAVIS
(EXHIBITED AT THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SALON)
is exhilarating, if ephemeral. The sunflower, faded scheme ; his ideal embraces an infinite succession
at the New Gallery, re-opens at the Grafton ; the of pleasing details. The true spirit of classic art is
worship of Japan, unknown at the former, is well to subordinate the items to the whole. Each may
to the fore at the latter, where a certain deft grace, be beautiful in itself, but only so far as it tends to
truly Parisian, replaces the " yearnestness " of the increase the beauty of the entire scheme ; and this
artful craftsman ; colour is perhaps better under- principle, now and again preached in England, has,
stood in the one, and consistency more prized in except for brief periods, remained the secret of its
the other. In costliness your French artist pro- apostles.
claims his luxury more openly. The absence of Conjure up a picture of the most commonplace
display, which is the artistic pride that apes Parisian salon, and though each item in it be un-
humility in at least one branch of the English pleasing to an insular taste, there is at least a
school, is to seek at the Grafton, where a sportive specious elegance in the ensemble. Recall a typical
delight in rare materials ungrudgingly employed is English room, and its interest will be found to lie in
the prevalent note. In each, novelty is sought the various objects that may harmonise well enough
rather in adaptation than in fresh invention, and in an eclectic compromise, but are distinctly an
both address the moneyed classes solely, without anthology rather than an ordered monograph.
p
RENCH DECORATIVE ART AT regard for the pocket of the masses. For a sight
THE GRAFTON GALLERIES. of. each y°u Pa>' a shilling, and so the parallel
might be pursued, and yet the fundamental diver-
For the moment it would seem as if gencies be left untouched; for underneath the
the decorative arts of France and Eng- similarity is a vital difference. The native habit and
land had become one, or at least that their crafts- mode of thought may touch each other in passing,
men were looking to the same ideal, and phrasing but the classic perception of selection which has
the same creed with the merely local difference of always distinguished France, is far removed from
accent. The " Arts and Crafts" interest the the romantic love of legend and history, which is
Parisians, the French decorative display at the surely the underlying principle in British art.
Grafton Galleries interests the artistic Londoner. Your true Briton prizes comfort before elegance,
No doubt each in his inmost heart feels that and provided each item satisfies his taste, will not
conscious superiority of parochial patriotism, which so much as think of the effect of a complete
" THE WILLOWS." PHOTOGRAPHED FROM NATURE BY HENRY DAVIS
(EXHIBITED AT THE PHOTOGRAPHIC SALON)
is exhilarating, if ephemeral. The sunflower, faded scheme ; his ideal embraces an infinite succession
at the New Gallery, re-opens at the Grafton ; the of pleasing details. The true spirit of classic art is
worship of Japan, unknown at the former, is well to subordinate the items to the whole. Each may
to the fore at the latter, where a certain deft grace, be beautiful in itself, but only so far as it tends to
truly Parisian, replaces the " yearnestness " of the increase the beauty of the entire scheme ; and this
artful craftsman ; colour is perhaps better under- principle, now and again preached in England, has,
stood in the one, and consistency more prized in except for brief periods, remained the secret of its
the other. In costliness your French artist pro- apostles.
claims his luxury more openly. The absence of Conjure up a picture of the most commonplace
display, which is the artistic pride that apes Parisian salon, and though each item in it be un-
humility in at least one branch of the English pleasing to an insular taste, there is at least a
school, is to seek at the Grafton, where a sportive specious elegance in the ensemble. Recall a typical
delight in rare materials ungrudgingly employed is English room, and its interest will be found to lie in
the prevalent note. In each, novelty is sought the various objects that may harmonise well enough
rather in adaptation than in fresh invention, and in an eclectic compromise, but are distinctly an
both address the moneyed classes solely, without anthology rather than an ordered monograph.