Studio: international art (24.1902)

Artists Colony at Darmstadt

supervision. Here, therefore, we see not mere
fragments, but a harmonised whole—an artistic

ensemble.

The little colony is situated on the Mathilden-
hobe, in Darmstadt. The first house to be seen
is that of Professor Behrens. It is constructed
like a castle, but rather more in the French than
in the German style of dwelling house. One has
the impression of an extremely strong, substantial
building. The inscription over the gate, " Steh
/est, mein Uaus, im Weltgebraus " corresponds with
its character. The house is built of light, reddish
stone, and the facade, of course in accordance
with the framings of the doors and windows, is
lined with vertical stripes in glazed tiles of a dark
green colour. On entering the interior one finds
a small, narrow ante-room leading to the music-
room, which takes up nearly the whole right side
of the front. Every detail of the decoration
points to recreation, the purpose for which it is
intended. The walls are faced with marble of
grey and pink shades, with glass mosaics inserted.

"GAS STOVE" DESIGNED BY PETER BEHRENS

EXECUTED BY C HOUBEN AND SON

The gilded ceiling rises above the rich walls, like
some old church dome, supplying its own light.
The inlaid floor is a fitting finish to the rest of the
room. The woods employed are American walnut,
satinwood, mahogany, oak, palisander, ebony, and
maple.

The music - room is, of course, but sparsely
furnished, the chief object being the grand piano
of grey-stained maple, supported on black feet, and
of square outline. The decorative element is
intarsia work in dark wood, inlaid with other
woods variously stained and shaded. The arm-
chairs, music desks, stools, and benches are of
black-stained birch, also inlaid. The forms and
lines are throughout stiff, and, wherever possible,
straight. The same may be said, on the whole, of
the other rooms, all of which have an impressive
appearance.

The brightest apartment is the dining-room,
adjoining the music-room, japanned white, and
very rich in effect. While the ground tone of the
music-room is gold, that of the dining-room is
silver. The curtains and frieze are of damask,
and the electric-light fittings of silvered metal
with crystal prisms. Notwithstanding my desire
only to describe, not to criticise, I must protest
against the frequent employment of colour in
ceilings—silvering and gilding. Honesty and
simplicity in the use of materials are the primary
conditions of modern art handicraft.

Next to the dining-room comes the drawing-
room, in sober, aristocratic birchwood. The
prevailing tone is yellow.

The library is in plain elm, the wood imparting
its character to the room, the ceiling being of
the same material, with carved panelling. The
round writing desk, a drawing desk built into
the window niche, the book-shelves, supported
by slight curves—all are designed with a view
to comfort. To me this is the most attractive
room in the whole house. Little need be
said of the adjoining studio. It is a nice
room, extending to two-thirds of the depth
of the house, with plenty of light, and high
'windows.

The bedroom of the lady of the house and a
children's room form a double apartment. The
prevailing tone of this room is full rich yellow.
The furniture is of polished lemon-tree wood,
intarsia work being again employed for deco-
ration. The floor is inlaid with patterns. The
bed coverings and curtains are of yellow silk.
The beds are, of course, of wood, brass bed-
steads being absolutely un-German.