Studio: international art (5.1895)

Manchester Arts and Crafts

every case where its de-
signer had not already
clearly written his auto-
graph across it—for style
in design is as easily
recognised as in handwrit-
ing— that the unfamiliar
work proved to be by one
artist, Edgar Wood. Al-
though many of his contri-
butions are illustrated here,
it is hard to convey the
effect of pieces of furniture
which rely so much on
surface texture and colour,
in black and white sketches.
The bedroom chair, for
instance, loses consider-
ably, the dainty inlay on
the back rails fails to
decorate the whole, as it
did in the original. So
the other chair looks far
more stern and severe
than, fitted with its silk
cushions, it actually is.
Mr. Wood has learnt the
true power of a spot of
rich decoration, carefully
placed and rightly pro-

designed by james smithies

portioned to the undecorated work of the structure;
but this is a class of design that is entirely untrans-
latable—the reduction and loss of colour, in a
small black and white illustration, no matter how
cleverly suggested, fail to convey the real beauty
of the work to those who only see it in the
drawing. In the chest of drawers, the admirable
use of inlay, and the simple, well-designed locks
: and handles, give an impression of sumptuous
and quite sufficient adornment, yet in black and
white the simplicity becomes somewhat bald. In
a fine hanging lantern, a clock-case, tables, chairs,
stained glass, and church work, Mr. Wood shows
armchair designed by edgar wood himself essentially an architect and a decorator

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