Studio: international art (5.1895)

Home Arts and Industries at the Albert Hall

picture, which in nine cases out of ten would be far objects shown was due to the ornament (often
better stripped of its cheap silk kerchiefs, and hung derived from old and irreproachable examples)
upon a wall. being added, without due sense of its proportion

The various decorations of leather that were or its peculiar fitness. Especially was this notice-
conspicuous features in the
show, need not be dwelt upon
here, as the subject will be
treated in another paper ; but,
speaking as a whole, they were
exceedingly creditable in exe-
cution and not always wanting
in design.

The Langdale linen indus-
try, in which Mr. Ruskin has
taken great interest, had a
capital show of excellent
fabrics, some wrought into
charming objects for house-
hold use; but here again
some new influence to infuse
character and style into the
embroidered designs is greatly
needed.

When all is judicially set,
for and against the exhibition,
the balance is so enormously
in its favour, that it seems
unkind to insist upon its
shortcomings. Yet the whole
essence of the applied arts is
that art-—not mere common-
place ornament should be music-stand with Celtic ornament Clonkeen
applied, and that the applica-
tion should be an influence permeating the whole able in carving. Panels of coarse vigorous work
object, not mere added detail. For one of the were inserted in a chest much too refined in its
most fatal obstacles to the success in many of the plan to carry the effect of the bold ornament; in

chest. chip-carving

Leatherhead

173