DOI Heft:
No. 72 (March 1899)
DOI Artikel:Leonard, George Hare: A nineteenth-century house, [1]
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19231#0107
A Nineteenth-Century House
a few sympathetic minds are working together the test of being enlarged to its full size in situ and
towards a common end, several heads are likely to judged there. This was considered absolutely
prove themselves better than one. The committee necessary as one of the first principles of art.
meetings arranged to talk over the affairs of Palace Everything had to be made specially for its own
Gate House were really for the most part delight- particular place, and nothing was found as we
ful dinner parties, with the materials for the conver- may say, "in stock." Just as in the early days a
sation at dinner already provided ; but in the house painter never thought of his work as perched upon
itself, as it was growing, those whose work came an easel, or hanging on a nail in a gallery, but
specially together met with Mr. Cooper from time always in relation to the space in church or hall
to time for consultation. It was a leading principle for which it was designed, so here each artist's
with all, that good work was never to be accepted first thought was of the spot where his work was
from any one while it seemed possible that he could eventually to be placed.
give better. However carefully the sketch might The sculptors, let us say, are busy with the
have been thought out in the studio, it was altered, staircase. The bits of ceiling to be framed in
perhaps altered over and over again, until it was by - and - by amongst the wood have first of all
finally " worried right " and at last approved. And been thought out in clay. When the clay, after
the " worrying right " was not done in the studio : many changes, has apparently become right, it is
the sketch which seemed so hopeful had to stand translated into plaster, and the whole, or part of it,
put in position in the
house itself and seen in
connection with the
joinery. Its troubles are
not over until at last the
^^g^^^^^H^H work is felt to
" do." The house may
^^^H jj^^^^^^flHH Ht have many mistakes in it,
Rfcta^ H but there is no mistake
l^^^t HH'■' jflft in it that remains unal-
tered because it was seen
V"j>IJHHHjB .^m-rrm too late—it was never too
U*gj|y late. However much time
had been spent, if the
result was not hailed as a
^H^^^HP' - wKr success it went back.
i
"' •'.<■" >^Br What is the result of
jfS all this thought and judg-
ment ? I suppose the
' JP=3fe answer must be, Harmony
■ and Simplicity. It is in
truth a plain house, where
nothing seems to jar on
hand or eye. How rarely
j^S^^HS5j9K§Vr^ ' k« can so much be said of
' 50 K I modern houses! Simple
Rjeglp'f i I 9jks ■fea~~ ' as *l 's al"- proudly indif-
ferent to mere ornamenta-
tion, no one who looks at it
can doubt its individuality.
Our first illustration
^^(^[ gives the "face" of the
house, noble, dignified,
serene, if one may say so,
like the countenance of a
PALACE GATS HOUSE : STAIRCASE LANDING Greek Statue.
96
a few sympathetic minds are working together the test of being enlarged to its full size in situ and
towards a common end, several heads are likely to judged there. This was considered absolutely
prove themselves better than one. The committee necessary as one of the first principles of art.
meetings arranged to talk over the affairs of Palace Everything had to be made specially for its own
Gate House were really for the most part delight- particular place, and nothing was found as we
ful dinner parties, with the materials for the conver- may say, "in stock." Just as in the early days a
sation at dinner already provided ; but in the house painter never thought of his work as perched upon
itself, as it was growing, those whose work came an easel, or hanging on a nail in a gallery, but
specially together met with Mr. Cooper from time always in relation to the space in church or hall
to time for consultation. It was a leading principle for which it was designed, so here each artist's
with all, that good work was never to be accepted first thought was of the spot where his work was
from any one while it seemed possible that he could eventually to be placed.
give better. However carefully the sketch might The sculptors, let us say, are busy with the
have been thought out in the studio, it was altered, staircase. The bits of ceiling to be framed in
perhaps altered over and over again, until it was by - and - by amongst the wood have first of all
finally " worried right " and at last approved. And been thought out in clay. When the clay, after
the " worrying right " was not done in the studio : many changes, has apparently become right, it is
the sketch which seemed so hopeful had to stand translated into plaster, and the whole, or part of it,
put in position in the
house itself and seen in
connection with the
joinery. Its troubles are
not over until at last the
^^g^^^^^H^H work is felt to
" do." The house may
^^^H jj^^^^^^flHH Ht have many mistakes in it,
Rfcta^ H but there is no mistake
l^^^t HH'■' jflft in it that remains unal-
tered because it was seen
V"j>IJHHHjB .^m-rrm too late—it was never too
U*gj|y late. However much time
had been spent, if the
result was not hailed as a
^H^^^HP' - wKr success it went back.
i
"' •'.<■" >^Br What is the result of
jfS all this thought and judg-
ment ? I suppose the
' JP=3fe answer must be, Harmony
■ and Simplicity. It is in
truth a plain house, where
nothing seems to jar on
hand or eye. How rarely
j^S^^HS5j9K§Vr^ ' k« can so much be said of
' 50 K I modern houses! Simple
Rjeglp'f i I 9jks ■fea~~ ' as *l 's al"- proudly indif-
ferent to mere ornamenta-
tion, no one who looks at it
can doubt its individuality.
Our first illustration
^^(^[ gives the "face" of the
house, noble, dignified,
serene, if one may say so,
like the countenance of a
PALACE GATS HOUSE : STAIRCASE LANDING Greek Statue.
96