DOI Heft:
No. 124 (July, 1903)
DOI Artikel:Vallance, Aymer: Mr. W. J. Neatby and his work
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19879#0134
IV. J. Neatby
iMDSIC CABINET IN GREEN WAX-
POLISHED OAK WITH METAL
HINGES, AND PAINTED PANEL OF
ST. CECILIA BY W. J. NEATBY
decoration of the ceiling and three large mural
frescoes, representing throned female figures,
attended respectively by leopards, peacocks, and
serpents. The whole composition is carried out
with a liberal, not too obvious, rendering of
Masonic symbolism, and such sustained decora-
tive unity in every part that makes one regret that
the work is not in a position where it might have
the opportunity of being better known to the
general public. •
The last remark cannot be said to apply to
another, equally clever, achievement of Mr. Neatby's
—viz. the ceramic decoration of the large hall for
the sale of meat, poultry, game and fish at Messrs.
Harrod's Stores in the Brompton Road; yet it
would be interesting if one could be assured that
any considerable percentage of the customers who
frequent the place have ever observed the work in
question. It was just a year ago that Messrs.
Doulton, having been commissioned to supply the
tiles for this purpose, entrusted Mr. Neatby with
the designing of the same. The time allowed was
only nine weeks, and within that short space the
artist had to design and arrange for the entire
lining of the large hall with ceramics from roof to
floor. The scheme included the making of full-
sized cartoons for twenty circular panels, four feet
in diameter, all different, depicting scenes of
falconry, hunting, game, and other animals, with
a conventional tree repeated between each medal-
lion ; four varieties of vesicas with peacocks,
pheasants, and other birds for the walls; and
the designing and modelling of the architectural
relief ornament of polygonal columns for the
doorways, surmounted by golden peacocks. The
whole undertaking, conducted at high pressure,
was managed with an ingenuity and a fertility of
invention truly amazing.
Mr. Neatby was responsible, under the architects,
Messrs. Newton and Cheatle, for the interior
decoration of the King's Cafe at Birmingham;
comprising the stained glass, the metal work, and
mural tiles, the latter being manufactured for him
by Messrs. Doulton. The full-face figure of a king
(p. 114) represents the panel over the fireplace in the
same cafe. It is carried out in Parian enamels and
gold, in slight relief, in a very rich scheme of colour.
Another notable work of the artist's is the tile
decoration of the arcade that leads into the market
square at Norwich.
Lastly, Mr. Neatby is at present engaged on the
modelled plaster decoration of the pendentives of
the dome of the new Gaiety Theatre ; but this
work is still so incomplete that anything beyond
mere mention of it would be premature, and a
detailed account must therefore be left over for
some future occasion.
TRIVET IN PIERCED AND
HAMMERED COPPER AND BRASS BY W. J. NEATBY
117
iMDSIC CABINET IN GREEN WAX-
POLISHED OAK WITH METAL
HINGES, AND PAINTED PANEL OF
ST. CECILIA BY W. J. NEATBY
decoration of the ceiling and three large mural
frescoes, representing throned female figures,
attended respectively by leopards, peacocks, and
serpents. The whole composition is carried out
with a liberal, not too obvious, rendering of
Masonic symbolism, and such sustained decora-
tive unity in every part that makes one regret that
the work is not in a position where it might have
the opportunity of being better known to the
general public. •
The last remark cannot be said to apply to
another, equally clever, achievement of Mr. Neatby's
—viz. the ceramic decoration of the large hall for
the sale of meat, poultry, game and fish at Messrs.
Harrod's Stores in the Brompton Road; yet it
would be interesting if one could be assured that
any considerable percentage of the customers who
frequent the place have ever observed the work in
question. It was just a year ago that Messrs.
Doulton, having been commissioned to supply the
tiles for this purpose, entrusted Mr. Neatby with
the designing of the same. The time allowed was
only nine weeks, and within that short space the
artist had to design and arrange for the entire
lining of the large hall with ceramics from roof to
floor. The scheme included the making of full-
sized cartoons for twenty circular panels, four feet
in diameter, all different, depicting scenes of
falconry, hunting, game, and other animals, with
a conventional tree repeated between each medal-
lion ; four varieties of vesicas with peacocks,
pheasants, and other birds for the walls; and
the designing and modelling of the architectural
relief ornament of polygonal columns for the
doorways, surmounted by golden peacocks. The
whole undertaking, conducted at high pressure,
was managed with an ingenuity and a fertility of
invention truly amazing.
Mr. Neatby was responsible, under the architects,
Messrs. Newton and Cheatle, for the interior
decoration of the King's Cafe at Birmingham;
comprising the stained glass, the metal work, and
mural tiles, the latter being manufactured for him
by Messrs. Doulton. The full-face figure of a king
(p. 114) represents the panel over the fireplace in the
same cafe. It is carried out in Parian enamels and
gold, in slight relief, in a very rich scheme of colour.
Another notable work of the artist's is the tile
decoration of the arcade that leads into the market
square at Norwich.
Lastly, Mr. Neatby is at present engaged on the
modelled plaster decoration of the pendentives of
the dome of the new Gaiety Theatre ; but this
work is still so incomplete that anything beyond
mere mention of it would be premature, and a
detailed account must therefore be left over for
some future occasion.
TRIVET IN PIERCED AND
HAMMERED COPPER AND BRASS BY W. J. NEATBY
117