Studio: international art (10.1897)

The Decorative Art Movement in Paris

for it is constructed according
to the strict and inviolable
rules which form the basis of
all art, and apart from which
there can be nothing but con-
fusion and discord. These
productions have ' in no way
hindered the display of their
author's artistic personality,
but have rather aided and de-
veloped it. M. Plumet's chairs
and armchairs, sideboards and
bookcases, his writing-desks,
his tea and work tables, and
his frames, show a decorative
fancy, truly personal, with no
trace of bizarre?ie or affecta-
tion, and a rare gift of fresh-
ness and sincerity. There is

no superfluous decoration ; inkstand pewter work by a. charpentier

nothing but the plain wood, earthenware by delaherche

admirably worked with faultless

delicacy; and that suffices. The sense of beauty and their perfect harmony one with the other. All
it conveys springs entirely from the precision of this is very far removed, happily, from the over-
the work, the justness of the various proportions, elaborated, illogical style of M. Galle, of Nancy,

whose furniture, like that
of M. Carabin, must
always be regarded as
thoroughly characteristic
of the bad taste into
which the accomplished
artist may sometimes
lapse. However, there
is no one but makes
mistakes occasionally.

Never having seen it,
I cannot say what the
merits of M. Henry
Nocq's sculpture proper
may be; and I am there-
fore confined to discus-
sing the works of applied
carving displayed by him
at the Galerie des Artistes
Modernes. It takes the
form of goldsmith's work
and jewellery. We are
shown once more the
Narcissus mirror, which
I wrote about some time
ago when it was produced,
and am very glad to see
again. Then we have

applique-work cushion by felix aubert bracelets, a silver salt-