DOI Heft:
No. 37 (April, 1896)
DOI Artikel:S., E. B.: Oscar Roty and the art of the medallist
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17296#0176
Oscar Roty and the Art of the Medallist
passing notice. The curse of commercial design panel ample space for the lettering to tell out
to-day is its craving for too much commonplace clearly, and yet play its part in the balance of
the composition. The factory chimneys in the
left panel are made to fulfil a purpose no less
decorative than the group of trees in the com-
panion wing. Although this is by no means the
most admirable of M. Roty's designs, it is full of
his best qualities. One regrets that the central
panel is smaller, by reason of the legend, than
the other two, and that consequently these seem
to have been deprived of their true base, and
to be a little crowded at the lower part in con-
sequence. In the reverse side of this same plaque
the lettering in the centre panel is simple but
sufficient; the figures of the workmen are marked
by the same breadth of treatment that distin-
guishes the central panel of its obverse, and here
the absence of base to the side panels does not
exist. It would be easy to find minor details to
carp at; but as you study the reproduction even,
there is nothing small about it—its proportions are
as fine as if its dimensions were measurable in
from the original by oscar roty square yards instead of square inches; and, above
all, the repose of the whole is sculpturesque, and
symbolism—the symbolism that employs a pictorial in its way monumental. The original tablet and
catalogue of more or less apposite items, jumbled many others have been exhibited until quite lately
together with foliage,
flowers, or meaning- . —■rT^Miii n„
less scrolls, to bring ^^^^ftSS^5^^^^^^^^^^^9t^r^»u.
the motley group into y* SSSSSiHfflBHfe^^^SS^^^k.
one design. Yet even --^0^ ^^"^^^^^^ff^^^^^^^^tky IHSfrv
this direct method - -- ■jfr "^fcvr / V«P
which explains the ^^Sni^^r
hero by surrounding K.T*^jjF/^»trf -'
him with the median- IK^HP* m9
ism of his craft, can be ^^^9BN9S3^VE^^fi3nfe2Z^Hfl£»f ;aifl^B«a>^3
employed finely, as
shown in the triptych ' * -*»r \
panel to Charles
Christofle. This |^^^^8BIEfcCr^.
plaque, which is (so ""-j^3rT<,', ""*!S^SHP>
far as memory serves) jjml^^^fcfc^'J^C^^
very slightly larger ,.y I^HBEsSSte^lvC1'-
than the reproduction, , .
is bold and massive BpHHB^B^^^^^^fflH|e^^V
and ^t^^BS^^\^BKSBiXm^9l^^StHBS^K^SSut^^^k
full of repose. Note
how the dignity of 4TwfR%'"
modern costume ^I^^BS*^^^^^HliSCfimvlVmv^BSSSI^BB^9l^^^l^l
maintained, and the BjK^^Xf-^fe.Sl^'^^jjCT
simplicity of the treat- ^~--v" :;"rr~j
ment of the table and j j\j
chair. Even with this,
we find in the centre from the original by oscar roty at south Kensington museum
161
passing notice. The curse of commercial design panel ample space for the lettering to tell out
to-day is its craving for too much commonplace clearly, and yet play its part in the balance of
the composition. The factory chimneys in the
left panel are made to fulfil a purpose no less
decorative than the group of trees in the com-
panion wing. Although this is by no means the
most admirable of M. Roty's designs, it is full of
his best qualities. One regrets that the central
panel is smaller, by reason of the legend, than
the other two, and that consequently these seem
to have been deprived of their true base, and
to be a little crowded at the lower part in con-
sequence. In the reverse side of this same plaque
the lettering in the centre panel is simple but
sufficient; the figures of the workmen are marked
by the same breadth of treatment that distin-
guishes the central panel of its obverse, and here
the absence of base to the side panels does not
exist. It would be easy to find minor details to
carp at; but as you study the reproduction even,
there is nothing small about it—its proportions are
as fine as if its dimensions were measurable in
from the original by oscar roty square yards instead of square inches; and, above
all, the repose of the whole is sculpturesque, and
symbolism—the symbolism that employs a pictorial in its way monumental. The original tablet and
catalogue of more or less apposite items, jumbled many others have been exhibited until quite lately
together with foliage,
flowers, or meaning- . —■rT^Miii n„
less scrolls, to bring ^^^^ftSS^5^^^^^^^^^^^9t^r^»u.
the motley group into y* SSSSSiHfflBHfe^^^SS^^^k.
one design. Yet even --^0^ ^^"^^^^^^ff^^^^^^^^tky IHSfrv
this direct method - -- ■jfr "^fcvr / V«P
which explains the ^^Sni^^r
hero by surrounding K.T*^jjF/^»trf -'
him with the median- IK^HP* m9
ism of his craft, can be ^^^9BN9S3^VE^^fi3nfe2Z^Hfl£»f ;aifl^B«a>^3
employed finely, as
shown in the triptych ' * -*»r \
panel to Charles
Christofle. This |^^^^8BIEfcCr^.
plaque, which is (so ""-j^3rT<,', ""*!S^SHP>
far as memory serves) jjml^^^fcfc^'J^C^^
very slightly larger ,.y I^HBEsSSte^lvC1'-
than the reproduction, , .
is bold and massive BpHHB^B^^^^^^fflH|e^^V
and ^t^^BS^^\^BKSBiXm^9l^^StHBS^K^SSut^^^k
full of repose. Note
how the dignity of 4TwfR%'"
modern costume ^I^^BS*^^^^^HliSCfimvlVmv^BSSSI^BB^9l^^^l^l
maintained, and the BjK^^Xf-^fe.Sl^'^^jjCT
simplicity of the treat- ^~--v" :;"rr~j
ment of the table and j j\j
chair. Even with this,
we find in the centre from the original by oscar roty at south Kensington museum
161