DOI Heft:
No. 72 (March 1899)
DOI Artikel:Scott, Mackay H. Baillie: Decoration and furniture for the New Palace, Darmstadt
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19231#0123
Mr. Baillie Scott's Furniture and Decoration
social idea is at the root of all good decorative discussing the laws and principles which govern
work. matters of decoration, one is beset on all sides by
And so when the artist becomes, as it were, the a series of such analogies, and to the writer who
creator of small kingdoms and principalities in wishes to keep as close as may be to the subject
form and colour, it is merely the logical outcome in hand without undue digression, it becomes a
of such a habit of thought which causes him to try great difficulty to avoid thus being led into a wider
and apply to human society the same principles by field. It is with him as with Mr. Dick and his
which his tables and chairs have been arranged. famous memorial, wherein the head of Charles the
But to pursue such a line of thought would First would ever obtrude,
perhaps lead one too far afield, and indeed, in One realises the existence of certain underlying
great truths which apply to
all domains of thought and
action, and when one
stumbles unawares on one
of these, a whole perspec-
tive of applications reveal
themselves as in a light-
ning-flash. It is this which
gives a divine significance
to metaphors and allego-
ries. They fix and con-
fine, as it were, the nebu-
lous substance of the truth,
and so truth embodied in
a tale, a picture, or a mere
piece of furniture, is the
more readily perceived and
understood.
But these are high mat-
ters for the mere artist.
In conclusion one may
proceed to consider the
subject of backgrounds
with reference, in particu-
lar, to the use of white
panelling, and the special
difficulties and advantages
involved in its use. When
the background is low
toned the forms of the
furniture and ornaments
melt imperceptibly into
shade, but here these
darker things are all out-
lined in relief against the
wall, and so their disposal
requires a more careful
adjustment. And yet these
broad spaces of white give
an added value to tone and
colour in these darker
things, which show much
in the same way as some
copper finger plates designed by m. h. baillie scott brilliantly clad figure in a
112
social idea is at the root of all good decorative discussing the laws and principles which govern
work. matters of decoration, one is beset on all sides by
And so when the artist becomes, as it were, the a series of such analogies, and to the writer who
creator of small kingdoms and principalities in wishes to keep as close as may be to the subject
form and colour, it is merely the logical outcome in hand without undue digression, it becomes a
of such a habit of thought which causes him to try great difficulty to avoid thus being led into a wider
and apply to human society the same principles by field. It is with him as with Mr. Dick and his
which his tables and chairs have been arranged. famous memorial, wherein the head of Charles the
But to pursue such a line of thought would First would ever obtrude,
perhaps lead one too far afield, and indeed, in One realises the existence of certain underlying
great truths which apply to
all domains of thought and
action, and when one
stumbles unawares on one
of these, a whole perspec-
tive of applications reveal
themselves as in a light-
ning-flash. It is this which
gives a divine significance
to metaphors and allego-
ries. They fix and con-
fine, as it were, the nebu-
lous substance of the truth,
and so truth embodied in
a tale, a picture, or a mere
piece of furniture, is the
more readily perceived and
understood.
But these are high mat-
ters for the mere artist.
In conclusion one may
proceed to consider the
subject of backgrounds
with reference, in particu-
lar, to the use of white
panelling, and the special
difficulties and advantages
involved in its use. When
the background is low
toned the forms of the
furniture and ornaments
melt imperceptibly into
shade, but here these
darker things are all out-
lined in relief against the
wall, and so their disposal
requires a more careful
adjustment. And yet these
broad spaces of white give
an added value to tone and
colour in these darker
things, which show much
in the same way as some
copper finger plates designed by m. h. baillie scott brilliantly clad figure in a
112