DOI Heft:
Nr. 119 (February 1903)
DOI Artikel:The Arts and Crafts Exhibition at the New Gallery: first notice
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19878#0040
The Arts and Crafts Rxhibitiou
never intended to adorn, should be distasteful to than Arts and Crafts Society wrrkers themselves,
many excellent craftsmen is the best proof of the Moreover the adoption of the cubicle system,
sincerity of their work ; for obviously such displays together with the excellent new rule that each
fall even farther .short of doing justice to their member may exhibit at least one object (with due
subject matter than when the exhibits are pictures reservations as to size, etc.), is quite likely to have
on a wall. On the other hand, the temptation to the practical result that men of established repute
work primarily for exhibition, secondarily for sale, will be content to have one or two things effec-
and lastly or incidentally for one's own personal tively shown than many scattered in a maze difficult
inspiration and belief, is apt to beset the most to reconnoitre.
conscientious artist at some point in his career, In the exhibition which opened on the 16th
whether or no he try h-'s fortune with the average!y of January, the furnishing of the cubicles has been
fallible and capricious judging committee in Regent shared by the President, Mr. Walter Crane, and
Street. It is always well to be reminded that the the following members : Messrs. W. A. S. Benson,
object of the Society is to enable designers and W. R. I .ethaby, S. Barnsley, Lewis F. Day,
craftsmen to show a few examples of the kind of H. Longden, Charles Spooner, Metford Warner
work they are doing every day. and the exhibition (representing Messrs. Jeffrey & Co.), C. F. A.
is successful in proportion as it quickens a sense of A'oysey, II. Dearie (representing the firm of Morris
dissatisfaction at its own limited scope, and an & Co.), II. Wilson, C. R. Ashbee, and Ambrose
eagerness to see and apply
in the right surroundings
every new suggestion of beauty
in the house, the furniture,
and all things for use and for
wear.
Recognising these limita-
tions, the committee have
sought to overcome them as
far as may be in the arrange-
ment of the rooms, by allotting
cubicles to certain designers
whom they believed willing to
exhibit individually or together.
This s)stem, though to the
ardent democrat it may savour
of collusion, secures to these
at least a favourable setting,
and still leaves room for the
ordinary member and for the
gifted new-comer for whom
we only too often wait in
vain. In its seventh exhi-
b'tion, and after nearly twenty
years of life, the society may
perhaps claim to know its most
reliable exhibitors; and though
under present conditions in-
justices are bound to occur,
grievances to aiise, and much
good work to be ignored, yet
to make these incidents the
ground for refusing to exhibit
would be a violation of the
guild-spirit," of which no one
has talked more enthusiastically metal-work by c. f. a. voysey
28
never intended to adorn, should be distasteful to than Arts and Crafts Society wrrkers themselves,
many excellent craftsmen is the best proof of the Moreover the adoption of the cubicle system,
sincerity of their work ; for obviously such displays together with the excellent new rule that each
fall even farther .short of doing justice to their member may exhibit at least one object (with due
subject matter than when the exhibits are pictures reservations as to size, etc.), is quite likely to have
on a wall. On the other hand, the temptation to the practical result that men of established repute
work primarily for exhibition, secondarily for sale, will be content to have one or two things effec-
and lastly or incidentally for one's own personal tively shown than many scattered in a maze difficult
inspiration and belief, is apt to beset the most to reconnoitre.
conscientious artist at some point in his career, In the exhibition which opened on the 16th
whether or no he try h-'s fortune with the average!y of January, the furnishing of the cubicles has been
fallible and capricious judging committee in Regent shared by the President, Mr. Walter Crane, and
Street. It is always well to be reminded that the the following members : Messrs. W. A. S. Benson,
object of the Society is to enable designers and W. R. I .ethaby, S. Barnsley, Lewis F. Day,
craftsmen to show a few examples of the kind of H. Longden, Charles Spooner, Metford Warner
work they are doing every day. and the exhibition (representing Messrs. Jeffrey & Co.), C. F. A.
is successful in proportion as it quickens a sense of A'oysey, II. Dearie (representing the firm of Morris
dissatisfaction at its own limited scope, and an & Co.), II. Wilson, C. R. Ashbee, and Ambrose
eagerness to see and apply
in the right surroundings
every new suggestion of beauty
in the house, the furniture,
and all things for use and for
wear.
Recognising these limita-
tions, the committee have
sought to overcome them as
far as may be in the arrange-
ment of the rooms, by allotting
cubicles to certain designers
whom they believed willing to
exhibit individually or together.
This s)stem, though to the
ardent democrat it may savour
of collusion, secures to these
at least a favourable setting,
and still leaves room for the
ordinary member and for the
gifted new-comer for whom
we only too often wait in
vain. In its seventh exhi-
b'tion, and after nearly twenty
years of life, the society may
perhaps claim to know its most
reliable exhibitors; and though
under present conditions in-
justices are bound to occur,
grievances to aiise, and much
good work to be ignored, yet
to make these incidents the
ground for refusing to exhibit
would be a violation of the
guild-spirit," of which no one
has talked more enthusiastically metal-work by c. f. a. voysey
28