Studio: international art (15.1899)

Textile Patterns

Among those who are now preparing the way and the inquirer should only allow himself to be
for the glorious future of our French School there convinced against his will.

is none on whom we have more right to count than But these examinations are on this account by
M. Charles Cottet. He is not the man to dash our no means to be neglected. By the mere marshal-
hopes ! ling of facts and examples apparently related to

Gabriel Mourey. each other some results can generally be arrived
at, interesting and suggestive, if not final; and, in
these days, when the practice of the so-called lower
,extile patterns from arts seems t0 be aSain showing signs of.life, the

TsuffoIk rocTd-screens! ry Mly Tfi hi exisT r;d
methods bv the amount or toreotten material he
by edward f. strange. ^ up £ ^ benefit of J craftsmen of his
The development of pattern is one of own time,
the most interesting problems with which In the present instance we are to consider
a student of the history of art has to grapple, and certain patterns from the robes of the representa-
toc often it is one of the least productive of satis- tions of saints on two typical Suffolk rood-screens
factory results. The evidences of the circumstances — those of Randworth and Southwold. The
under which any particular class of ornament was drawings were made in the latter case by Mr.
first used; of its symbolism, of its earlier applica- George Wardle in 1865, and in the former by Mr.
tions even, are, as a rule, so slight, the danger of W. T. Cleoburey in 1897, for the South Kensington
exaggerating the value of coincidences so great, Museum, where at the time of writing they are
that it is hardly ever safe to formulate a too definite exhibited with many others. The screens them-
theory. The true attitude is that of the sceptic, selves, with their paintings, belong to about the

middle of the fifteenth
century. They are of
carved wood—now much
mutilated—and have the
character general in the
Eastern Counties. The
paintings were executed in
oil colours on a ground or
priming of carbonate of
calcium (as appears from
an analysis made by Mr.
N. A. O. Mackenzie), and
in the ornamental details
—though not in the figures
—a comparatively high
relief was obtained which
must have greatly added to
the brilliancy of the effect.
The execution of the figure
subjects varies considerably
in merit. In the best ex-
amples it is of the highest
excellence; and the un-
doubted portraiture to be
met with (the head of the
Apostle Jude from the
screen at Cawston is a
good specimen) must have
been executed by artists
who, if now unidentified,

FIG. 2.—DIAPER ON THE ROBE OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW SOUTHWOLD ROOD SCREEN Were quite of the first claSS.

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