Studio: international art (10.1897)

Mural Decoration in Scotland

Leighton's frescoes —^^^^^^^^^^^^^^■■l^^^^^^^^^^^^^- /^fc/^B

"Peace" and "War" at " " " "

South Kensington, though
on a different level, have
identified a prominent
name with the mural
movement, and the deco-
ration of St. Paul's by Mr.
Richmond, and of the
Manchester Town Hall by
Ford Madox Brown, are
public recognitions of this
almost disused art.

But while the revival in
France and England is
watched with general in-
terest, the public seem
hardly to know that, in
Scotland, Edinburgh is as
busy making art history
on her walls as Glasgow
is busy making it on her
easels.

"The grey old metro-
polis of the North " had
been getting greyer year
by year with freestone and
slate, when suddenly, on
the east slope of the Castle
Hill, a bright-hued pile
arose, shocking, with its
red roofs and gilded
spire, the devotees of drab.
Professor Geddes, the pro-
moter of the innovation,
smiled from his heights,

and well he might, for decorative panel illustrating "the journey of sr. mungo"

Ramsay Garden is now by john duncan

one of the town's chief

show places. The site, the architecture, the func- so the wonder grows and spreads, until it is

tion of the building (which is partly that of a common to king and clown. In the next section

University settlement, and partly of a residential of the frieze, the pipes swell through the glades of

rendezvous of choice literary and artistic spirits), Arcady, and Corydon and Thyrsis attune them

have much to do with its vogue ; but perhaps a to youth and love. The Crossing of the Red Sea

more permanent and unique attraction than all and a spirited Bacchanalian procession lead to the

these is the mural art which it now enshrines. Pied Piper of Hamelin. The tragic note struck

The first treasure secured was a frieze in the hall when " the door in the mountain-side shut fast,"

of Professor Geddes' home, by Mr. John Duncan. deepens to The Coronaeh of Claverhouse, where

The subject is The Evolution of Pipe Music, por- it dies away among the Highland hills. The

trayed in a procession round the four walls. Head- Bacchanalian Procession, reproduced here, shows

ing it is poor Syrinx, transformed into the reed with Mr. Duncan's genius for the blending of dramatic

which Pan made shift to console himself, a fit be- and decorative treatment. The colour in the whole

ginning : sorrow and solace, song's root and flower. series is very beautiful, the drawing able and full

Then comes Pan as instructor of Apollo. And of style. The feeling for movement is wonderful,

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