DOI Heft:
Nr. 118 (January 1903)
DOI Artikel:Radford, Ernest: Modern English plastering: Mr. G. P. Bankart's work
DOI Artikel:Fred, Alfred W.: The International Exhibition of Decorative Art at Turin, the Italian section
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19877#0285
Turin Exhibition
field may seem to'be limited; but wherever there
is absolute property in buildings, public or private,
there should be a call for work of this kind.
Provided there be no violation of the conven-
tions controlling such work, there seems something
in Mr. Bankart's suggestion that the plasterer's
" thought-stuff" should be localised to some extent.
"Our decorations," he thinks, "might be made
suggestive of places and their surroundings, per-
haps of a particular industry. A village club-room,
or other rural building, might be made suggestive of
country life." Inexpensive is the word here, and
if only to ensure that it seems better to follow the
English tradition. " Examine a piece of old plaster
from one of these ceilings," he says, " and it will be
found to be coarse and rough, containing little bits
of gravel and other inequalities, which would doubt-
less be condemned in these days of mechanical skill.
In the old ceilings the planes are not die-level and
smoothed to a polish, but are, on the contrary, full
of slight undulations and unevennesses."
" We must be familiar
with the capabilities ot
that material—have served
a pupilage with the best
works of past ages, have
held constant intercourse
with them, and learnt
how and why things were
done in this way. We
must also be in touch with
Nature, and take from her
what is for our good, our
refinement, our inspiration.
There must beactual finger-
ing of the material, and per-
severance in the working of
it j and as for the design, we
have in that the expression
of this delight conveyed in
the most harmonious man-
ner according to the limi-
tations of the material we
have selected."
In conclusion, a hope
may be expressed that in
his endeavours to uphold
the best traditions of the
plasterer's art Mr. Bankart
may receive the support
and encouragement due
to his enterprise and
artistic talents.
THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBI-
TION OF DECORATIVE ART
AT TURIN.—THE ITALIAN
SECTION. BY W. FRED.
The idea of an International Exhibition on
Italian soil was at first startling, for in the Exhibi-
tions of recent years, and especially in Paris in
1900, Italian applied art had made no such display
as might induce high hopes of its success. It may,
however, have been the feeling that Italy had a
large blank to fill that led to an exceptional effort
on the part of a few patriotic lovers of art. They
could not indeed be blind to the danger of the
superiority of foreign contributions, both in quan-
tity and quality; but they understood that such a
public competition would prove the best spur to
the torpid industries of their native land, fettered
as they have been by the enfeebled survival of once
great traditions. For, since the period of noble
and homogeneous decorative art in Italy—the XVth
273
field may seem to'be limited; but wherever there
is absolute property in buildings, public or private,
there should be a call for work of this kind.
Provided there be no violation of the conven-
tions controlling such work, there seems something
in Mr. Bankart's suggestion that the plasterer's
" thought-stuff" should be localised to some extent.
"Our decorations," he thinks, "might be made
suggestive of places and their surroundings, per-
haps of a particular industry. A village club-room,
or other rural building, might be made suggestive of
country life." Inexpensive is the word here, and
if only to ensure that it seems better to follow the
English tradition. " Examine a piece of old plaster
from one of these ceilings," he says, " and it will be
found to be coarse and rough, containing little bits
of gravel and other inequalities, which would doubt-
less be condemned in these days of mechanical skill.
In the old ceilings the planes are not die-level and
smoothed to a polish, but are, on the contrary, full
of slight undulations and unevennesses."
" We must be familiar
with the capabilities ot
that material—have served
a pupilage with the best
works of past ages, have
held constant intercourse
with them, and learnt
how and why things were
done in this way. We
must also be in touch with
Nature, and take from her
what is for our good, our
refinement, our inspiration.
There must beactual finger-
ing of the material, and per-
severance in the working of
it j and as for the design, we
have in that the expression
of this delight conveyed in
the most harmonious man-
ner according to the limi-
tations of the material we
have selected."
In conclusion, a hope
may be expressed that in
his endeavours to uphold
the best traditions of the
plasterer's art Mr. Bankart
may receive the support
and encouragement due
to his enterprise and
artistic talents.
THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBI-
TION OF DECORATIVE ART
AT TURIN.—THE ITALIAN
SECTION. BY W. FRED.
The idea of an International Exhibition on
Italian soil was at first startling, for in the Exhibi-
tions of recent years, and especially in Paris in
1900, Italian applied art had made no such display
as might induce high hopes of its success. It may,
however, have been the feeling that Italy had a
large blank to fill that led to an exceptional effort
on the part of a few patriotic lovers of art. They
could not indeed be blind to the danger of the
superiority of foreign contributions, both in quan-
tity and quality; but they understood that such a
public competition would prove the best spur to
the torpid industries of their native land, fettered
as they have been by the enfeebled survival of once
great traditions. For, since the period of noble
and homogeneous decorative art in Italy—the XVth
273