Studio: international art (62.1914)

The Society of Mural Decorators

other painters, but he was not a decorator in the
architectural sense ; on the other hand, Phideas,
perhaps the greatest artist of whom we have any
trace, is known to us only as the carver of the
architectural ornaments on the Parthenon. There
is, however, one point that deserves attention and
gives rise to apprehension for the future. Should
mural decoration become a need in years to come,
it is sincerely to be hoped that it will not be per-
mitted to drift into the position that is so unfortu-
nately occupied by so much architectural carving ;
it must on no account be tarred with the brush of
being a trade, to be done at so much a foot and
the cheapest man to get the job. Although many
of our architectural carvers are struggling earnestly
and often successfully to lift the status and quality
of such work, they are usually terribly handicapped
by the position of inferiority into which their art
has been allowed to lapse. We must look to it
that mural decoration does not suffer in the same
way : it must not degenerate into the creature of
the pattern book, to be executed as rapidly as
possible by the aid of hired labour. The architect
and the client must not look on it as a thing that
may very well be left out, or only put in at the last

moment if the necessary funds can be squeezed
out of moneys originally intended for other purposes;
in short, it must be regarded as of equal importance
with any other accessory of the building. On the
other hand, we must guard against surrounding it
with too great a halo of sanctity ; it must not be
treated as too precious or exotic, it must not
become so costly that only the millionaire can
dream of employing the decorator ; let us rather
strive to see it honoured and honourable, a necessary
complement to architecture and a source of delight
not only to the man who does it but also to him
who has to live with it. J. ('.

[The illustrations to the foregoing article are with
four exceptions (Mr. Cayley Robinson's Dublin
decoration, Miss Jessie Hayes's frieze, Mrs. Meeson
Coates's panel, and the pair of panels by Mr. and
Mrs. Batten) reproductions of works forming part of
the recent exhibition of the Society in the hall of the
Art Workers' Guild in Queen Square, Bloomsbury.
A piece of tapestry executed by Messrs. Morris and
Company from Mrs. Stokes's cartoon Ehret die
Frauen is now being shown at the British Arts and
Crafts Exhibition in Paris.]