DOI Heft:
No. 63 (June, 1898)
DOI Artikel:The work of Mr. Selwyn Image, [1]
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21969#0016
THE STUDIO
The work of mr. selwyn
IMAGE.—PART I.
The forces which control the destinies
of the Arts, no less than those which
mould the fate of Empire, are often unsuspected
by the typical “ average man.” Within the inner
circles of the profession, be it of diplomacy or
design, there are acknowledged masters who are
little more than a name to the rank and file, and
absolutely unknown to the laity. Some men love
to have the fierce light of advertisement turned
upon themselves; others, again, would prefer that
it should not even be cast upon their work. Ex-
pressing their sense of power or beauty in their
own way, they would rather that its results were left
unsupported by any didactic appreciation to justify
their ideal to those who chance to be sympa-
thetic towards it.
While recognising fully
the nobility of the atti-
tude of these latter, one
must not conclude that
all names prominently
before the public are
tainted by a dash of the
charlatan, or that popu-
larity implies conscious
self-advertisement. The
mob are eager to know
who made some things,
and quite careless as to
the authors of others.
Fiction they like to ac-
credit duly; of the author-
ship of a play only a small
minority are curious.
Until quite lately did any
but fellow-workers—and of
those how few !—trouble
to inquire who designed
carpets or mosaics or
stained glass ? When
they did, the reply that it
was “manufactured by the
eminent firm of So-and-
so ” satisfied even such
inquisitive ones. Until
XIV. No. 63.—June, 1898.
less than fifty years ago, illustrations in books
were, as a rule, credited to the engraver only; the
draughtsman’s very signature being absent from the
blocks, his name not mentioned on the title-page
or in the list of illustrations. In literature the
novel is credited always to its author. To-day
few people know, or care to know, who it is
designs our pottery, our table silver, our fabrics,
or our furniture. Not only are we unaware of the
actual designers of most objects of applied art, but
as a rule we do not know the controlling person-
ality, the' art-director of the factory, whose taste
influences its whole output. It is needless to quote
instances to prove the above statements; we all
have a suspicion that theprima-donna who witches
a continent owes no little of her power to some
unknown teacher of singing. And while this is true
of a personal exhibition of craft—which perhaps
finds its most individual expression in music, it is
BY SELWYN IMAGE
3
The work of mr. selwyn
IMAGE.—PART I.
The forces which control the destinies
of the Arts, no less than those which
mould the fate of Empire, are often unsuspected
by the typical “ average man.” Within the inner
circles of the profession, be it of diplomacy or
design, there are acknowledged masters who are
little more than a name to the rank and file, and
absolutely unknown to the laity. Some men love
to have the fierce light of advertisement turned
upon themselves; others, again, would prefer that
it should not even be cast upon their work. Ex-
pressing their sense of power or beauty in their
own way, they would rather that its results were left
unsupported by any didactic appreciation to justify
their ideal to those who chance to be sympa-
thetic towards it.
While recognising fully
the nobility of the atti-
tude of these latter, one
must not conclude that
all names prominently
before the public are
tainted by a dash of the
charlatan, or that popu-
larity implies conscious
self-advertisement. The
mob are eager to know
who made some things,
and quite careless as to
the authors of others.
Fiction they like to ac-
credit duly; of the author-
ship of a play only a small
minority are curious.
Until quite lately did any
but fellow-workers—and of
those how few !—trouble
to inquire who designed
carpets or mosaics or
stained glass ? When
they did, the reply that it
was “manufactured by the
eminent firm of So-and-
so ” satisfied even such
inquisitive ones. Until
XIV. No. 63.—June, 1898.
less than fifty years ago, illustrations in books
were, as a rule, credited to the engraver only; the
draughtsman’s very signature being absent from the
blocks, his name not mentioned on the title-page
or in the list of illustrations. In literature the
novel is credited always to its author. To-day
few people know, or care to know, who it is
designs our pottery, our table silver, our fabrics,
or our furniture. Not only are we unaware of the
actual designers of most objects of applied art, but
as a rule we do not know the controlling person-
ality, the' art-director of the factory, whose taste
influences its whole output. It is needless to quote
instances to prove the above statements; we all
have a suspicion that theprima-donna who witches
a continent owes no little of her power to some
unknown teacher of singing. And while this is true
of a personal exhibition of craft—which perhaps
finds its most individual expression in music, it is
BY SELWYN IMAGE
3