DOI Heft:
No.129 (December, 1901)
DOI Artikel:Wood, Esther; Morris, G. L.: The metal work of John E. C. Carr
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19880#0236
J. E. C. Carr
" the queen of hearts " : modelled and painted frieze by j. e. c. carr
pleasure in the rest of it is but small in comparison referred to is present in many pieces of Mr. Carr's
to his disappointment that the one thing to make work. The wrought-iron fitting for a lamp partially
it wholly satisfactory is wanting. Experimental enclosing a newel is a good example; it is character-
both in form and treatment he always will be, and istic of the copper repousse door-plate and lock illus-
to have obtained certain beautiful effects will not trated in a previous number of The Studio, and is
•deter the imaginative craftsman from trying some also to be noted in the back-plate of a wrought-
new method of inlay to a new treatment of surfaces, iron bracket (for oil lamp), which is inlaid in lines
In John E. C. Carr, whose work illustrates this of brass. In this preference for line to mass,
article, the experimental spirit perhaps predomi- Mr. Carr is quite justified when the result is thus
nates. His creations are re-con-
sidered at every turn, and if unsatis-
factory in their initial stages are altered
again and again until is reached that
perfection of beauty which the de-
signer desires to realise.
That every one will appreciate the
characteristics of Mr. Carr's design
is hardly to be expected, for no
work through which there run certain
■definite and connecting ideas wholly
escapes adverse criticism. Beauty, how-
over, as Walter Pater observes, exists
in many forms, and like all other
qualities presented to the human ex-
perience "is relative, the definition of it
becoming unmeaning and useless in
proportion to its abstractness."
Mr. Carr's metal work is beautiful
because it fulfils its purpose satis-
factorily, and is shaped to that end ■ \ \ JjJF Ifl M
with considerable grace of lines, and a M \ \ vflk wfw fin
certain repeating ornament that occurs w\ \ Miff / I It
in nearly all examples, particularly when aro \ xSMKKS^^BKSW f Mm/
the object is circular in form. His m \ ^-^fy^^^^^^^^lg^Jr f M
work seldom irritates by a compli- % \ y j^^Jgg^^_ M m
cation of opposing motives, and the »i \m Wttt .Ji* V. J' xl ST M
very simplicity of the repeats which HSft ) jMk BP'-.-
are so noticeable in the hanging /I V^IH^^^^
lamps gives harmony and coherence ^^"'fMmiaft
to the whole. The rule is to bring ^^S^ ^^SSr aH***^
about pleasant results by a combina- ^^■i^B^i^^^
tion of the sweeping and the vertical
treatment. The graceful line already leaded glass by j. e. c. carr
" the queen of hearts " : modelled and painted frieze by j. e. c. carr
pleasure in the rest of it is but small in comparison referred to is present in many pieces of Mr. Carr's
to his disappointment that the one thing to make work. The wrought-iron fitting for a lamp partially
it wholly satisfactory is wanting. Experimental enclosing a newel is a good example; it is character-
both in form and treatment he always will be, and istic of the copper repousse door-plate and lock illus-
to have obtained certain beautiful effects will not trated in a previous number of The Studio, and is
•deter the imaginative craftsman from trying some also to be noted in the back-plate of a wrought-
new method of inlay to a new treatment of surfaces, iron bracket (for oil lamp), which is inlaid in lines
In John E. C. Carr, whose work illustrates this of brass. In this preference for line to mass,
article, the experimental spirit perhaps predomi- Mr. Carr is quite justified when the result is thus
nates. His creations are re-con-
sidered at every turn, and if unsatis-
factory in their initial stages are altered
again and again until is reached that
perfection of beauty which the de-
signer desires to realise.
That every one will appreciate the
characteristics of Mr. Carr's design
is hardly to be expected, for no
work through which there run certain
■definite and connecting ideas wholly
escapes adverse criticism. Beauty, how-
over, as Walter Pater observes, exists
in many forms, and like all other
qualities presented to the human ex-
perience "is relative, the definition of it
becoming unmeaning and useless in
proportion to its abstractness."
Mr. Carr's metal work is beautiful
because it fulfils its purpose satis-
factorily, and is shaped to that end ■ \ \ JjJF Ifl M
with considerable grace of lines, and a M \ \ vflk wfw fin
certain repeating ornament that occurs w\ \ Miff / I It
in nearly all examples, particularly when aro \ xSMKKS^^BKSW f Mm/
the object is circular in form. His m \ ^-^fy^^^^^^^^lg^Jr f M
work seldom irritates by a compli- % \ y j^^Jgg^^_ M m
cation of opposing motives, and the »i \m Wttt .Ji* V. J' xl ST M
very simplicity of the repeats which HSft ) jMk BP'-.-
are so noticeable in the hanging /I V^IH^^^^
lamps gives harmony and coherence ^^"'fMmiaft
to the whole. The rule is to bring ^^S^ ^^SSr aH***^
about pleasant results by a combina- ^^■i^B^i^^^
tion of the sweeping and the vertical
treatment. The graceful line already leaded glass by j. e. c. carr