DOI Heft:
No.233 (August 1912)
DOI Artikel:The lay figure: on the making of the mural decorator
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21157#0278
The Lay Figure
THE LAY FIGURE: ON THE
MAKING OF THE MURAL
DECORATOR.
“ I am glad to see that there are some signs of a
revival of the art of mural decoration,” said the
Man with the Red Tie. “ There is no form of art
practice which has such splendid traditions and
such a record of great achievement. It ought never
to have been allowed to fall into decay.”
“ Where do you see the signs of its revival ? ”
asked the Art Critic. “ I cannot say that they are
perceptible in this country, at all events, and
matters abroad seem to me to be in much the same
state that they have been in for a good many years
past.”
“ Oh, you are quite wrong,” broke in the Young
Painter; “ there is a very important movement in
progress now in this country for the encouragement
of mural decoration, and this movement is going to
have some really remarkable results. In a few years
we shall have here a vigorous school of mural painters
capable of the highest kind of accomplishment.”
“I envy you your power, of foretelling the
future,” laughed the Critic ; “ but, all the same, I
cannot see that you are justified in such rosy
anticipations—I only wish I could.”
“ But surely public opinion is beginning to be
awakened to the importance of this form of pro-
duction,” suggested the Man with the Red Tie;
“ and an awakening public opinion means that
things are going to move before long in the right
direction.”
“ I think that some sections of the public do
realise that mural decoration is quite worthy of
encouragement,” replied the Critic, “ and I know
that there are some well-meaning people who are
anxious to give artists opportunities of attempting
it; but that is not much to boast about.”
“ What! when you have a growing popular in-
terest in the art, and a number of people ready to
give artists chances of showing what they can do
with it, you are not satisfied,” cried the Young
Painter. “ What more do you want ? ”
“ I want the decorators,” answered the Critic,
“ the men in whom the public can rightly be in-
terested, the men who can turn to full account the
opportunities that come their way.”
“ But you have them,” protested the Young
Painter. “ There has been quite a lot of mural
decoration done lately in this country by capable
artists who have, I am sure, made the most of the
chances they have had.”
“ Have they ? ” returned the Critic. “ There has
254
been during the last few years quite a lot of paint-
ing on walls, but how much of it, would you tell
me, counts as mural decoration ? How much of it
suggests that for the future things are going to move
in the right direction ? ”
“I am afraid I do not quite grasp your meaning,”
said the Man with the Red Tie; “painting on walls
is mural decoration, is it not ? ”
“ Most certainly it is not, any more than the
man who paints a picture on a wall is a mural
decorator,” declared the Critic.
“Here, come off! You are talking nonsense,”
cried the Young Painter.
“No, I am not,” asserted the Critic. “A mural
decoration is not an ea$el picture on an extra large
scale painted on a wall surface instead of a canvas.
It is a thing intended to be an addition and a
complement to an architectural design, and it must
have itself definite architectural qualities. The
enlarged easel picture has no possible connection
with or relation to architecture, and when it is used
for filling a wall space it is so obviously misapplied
that its effect is wholly unpleasant.”
“ Oh, I see. You mean that mural decoration is
an art with principles of its own and that these
principles must receive special consideration,” said
the Man with the Red Tie.
“Precisely; and I also mean that the mural
decorator must completely understand these prin-
ciples before he can profit by any of the oppor-
tunities that may be given him,” answered the
Critic. “ There can be no real revival of the art
until the men who would follow it take proper pains
to understand how essentially it differs from other
forms of painting; and until the public realise that
they cannot get fine decorations by commissioning
popular artists to paint huge Christmas cards on
vast wall spaces.”
“ Then must the mural decorator have a special
training all to himself?” inquired the Young
Painter.
“Of course he must,” returned the Critic, “a
special training, and, I think, a special capacity.
He must have by instinct a sense of rhythmical
design and a true feeling for the more monumental
qualities of decoration. He must learn that he
has always to work in alliance with architecture
and to keep his productions absolutely in relation
to the surroundings in which they are placed.
Get hold of the right men, teach them in the right
way, and give them the right sort of opportunities,
and then the school of decorators you talk about
will come within the range of possibility.”
The Lay Figure.
THE LAY FIGURE: ON THE
MAKING OF THE MURAL
DECORATOR.
“ I am glad to see that there are some signs of a
revival of the art of mural decoration,” said the
Man with the Red Tie. “ There is no form of art
practice which has such splendid traditions and
such a record of great achievement. It ought never
to have been allowed to fall into decay.”
“ Where do you see the signs of its revival ? ”
asked the Art Critic. “ I cannot say that they are
perceptible in this country, at all events, and
matters abroad seem to me to be in much the same
state that they have been in for a good many years
past.”
“ Oh, you are quite wrong,” broke in the Young
Painter; “ there is a very important movement in
progress now in this country for the encouragement
of mural decoration, and this movement is going to
have some really remarkable results. In a few years
we shall have here a vigorous school of mural painters
capable of the highest kind of accomplishment.”
“I envy you your power, of foretelling the
future,” laughed the Critic ; “ but, all the same, I
cannot see that you are justified in such rosy
anticipations—I only wish I could.”
“ But surely public opinion is beginning to be
awakened to the importance of this form of pro-
duction,” suggested the Man with the Red Tie;
“ and an awakening public opinion means that
things are going to move before long in the right
direction.”
“ I think that some sections of the public do
realise that mural decoration is quite worthy of
encouragement,” replied the Critic, “ and I know
that there are some well-meaning people who are
anxious to give artists opportunities of attempting
it; but that is not much to boast about.”
“ What! when you have a growing popular in-
terest in the art, and a number of people ready to
give artists chances of showing what they can do
with it, you are not satisfied,” cried the Young
Painter. “ What more do you want ? ”
“ I want the decorators,” answered the Critic,
“ the men in whom the public can rightly be in-
terested, the men who can turn to full account the
opportunities that come their way.”
“ But you have them,” protested the Young
Painter. “ There has been quite a lot of mural
decoration done lately in this country by capable
artists who have, I am sure, made the most of the
chances they have had.”
“ Have they ? ” returned the Critic. “ There has
254
been during the last few years quite a lot of paint-
ing on walls, but how much of it, would you tell
me, counts as mural decoration ? How much of it
suggests that for the future things are going to move
in the right direction ? ”
“I am afraid I do not quite grasp your meaning,”
said the Man with the Red Tie; “painting on walls
is mural decoration, is it not ? ”
“ Most certainly it is not, any more than the
man who paints a picture on a wall is a mural
decorator,” declared the Critic.
“Here, come off! You are talking nonsense,”
cried the Young Painter.
“No, I am not,” asserted the Critic. “A mural
decoration is not an ea$el picture on an extra large
scale painted on a wall surface instead of a canvas.
It is a thing intended to be an addition and a
complement to an architectural design, and it must
have itself definite architectural qualities. The
enlarged easel picture has no possible connection
with or relation to architecture, and when it is used
for filling a wall space it is so obviously misapplied
that its effect is wholly unpleasant.”
“ Oh, I see. You mean that mural decoration is
an art with principles of its own and that these
principles must receive special consideration,” said
the Man with the Red Tie.
“Precisely; and I also mean that the mural
decorator must completely understand these prin-
ciples before he can profit by any of the oppor-
tunities that may be given him,” answered the
Critic. “ There can be no real revival of the art
until the men who would follow it take proper pains
to understand how essentially it differs from other
forms of painting; and until the public realise that
they cannot get fine decorations by commissioning
popular artists to paint huge Christmas cards on
vast wall spaces.”
“ Then must the mural decorator have a special
training all to himself?” inquired the Young
Painter.
“Of course he must,” returned the Critic, “a
special training, and, I think, a special capacity.
He must have by instinct a sense of rhythmical
design and a true feeling for the more monumental
qualities of decoration. He must learn that he
has always to work in alliance with architecture
and to keep his productions absolutely in relation
to the surroundings in which they are placed.
Get hold of the right men, teach them in the right
way, and give them the right sort of opportunities,
and then the school of decorators you talk about
will come within the range of possibility.”
The Lay Figure.