DOI issue:
[No. 320 (November 1919)]
DOI article:Mourey, Gabriel: French decorative art, [2]
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21359#0062
FRENCH DECORATIVE ART
5
DINING-ROOM
BY GALLEREY
Even during the war, and, a fortiori,
since its close this movement towards the
renovation of the French book has gained
speed. The Meynial Library, the Societe
litteraire de France directed by M. Gris, the
Belle Edition under M. Bernouard, the “ Si-
rene ” with M. Lafitte at its head, and many
other firms as well, are engaged in proving
that the French book-producer—despite
the prejudices of certain publishers sunk in
routine—is capable of coming to the front
on the still rugged road of modernism. It
should further be remarked that these
initiative spirits are being notably assisted
in their task by the great number of artists,
draughtsmen, illustrators, wood-engravers
and others, happy possessors of the true
sense of modernity, of novelty and of tradi-
tion, combined with a due regard for the
conditions, the necessities, and the technical
demands of book-decoration. Among such
I may name straight off MM. Georges
56
Lepape, Guy Arnoux, Marty, Martin,
Taquoy, Bernard, Boutet de Monvel,
Georges Barbier, Brissaud, de Lambert,
W. Herr, Melles Valentine Cross, Gerda
Wegener, etc., not forgetting Bernard
Naudin, in whom the Great War has in-
spired so many beautifully real and moving
pages, and who, by his illustration of the
works of Francois Villon, has won unde-
niable right to the admiration of the future.
These brilliant, charming, ingenious, and
gifted artists must forgive me if I make no
more than bare mention here of all their
efforts. I hope soon to have an oppor-
tunity of returning to them at greater
length; as also to say something about the
sumptuous bi-monthly published by M.
Dufet under the title of 44 Feuillets d'Art.”
It is obvious, of course, that in a series of
brief notes like these, treating as they do
of so vast a subject as French decorative
art, it is impossible for me to do justice to
5
DINING-ROOM
BY GALLEREY
Even during the war, and, a fortiori,
since its close this movement towards the
renovation of the French book has gained
speed. The Meynial Library, the Societe
litteraire de France directed by M. Gris, the
Belle Edition under M. Bernouard, the “ Si-
rene ” with M. Lafitte at its head, and many
other firms as well, are engaged in proving
that the French book-producer—despite
the prejudices of certain publishers sunk in
routine—is capable of coming to the front
on the still rugged road of modernism. It
should further be remarked that these
initiative spirits are being notably assisted
in their task by the great number of artists,
draughtsmen, illustrators, wood-engravers
and others, happy possessors of the true
sense of modernity, of novelty and of tradi-
tion, combined with a due regard for the
conditions, the necessities, and the technical
demands of book-decoration. Among such
I may name straight off MM. Georges
56
Lepape, Guy Arnoux, Marty, Martin,
Taquoy, Bernard, Boutet de Monvel,
Georges Barbier, Brissaud, de Lambert,
W. Herr, Melles Valentine Cross, Gerda
Wegener, etc., not forgetting Bernard
Naudin, in whom the Great War has in-
spired so many beautifully real and moving
pages, and who, by his illustration of the
works of Francois Villon, has won unde-
niable right to the admiration of the future.
These brilliant, charming, ingenious, and
gifted artists must forgive me if I make no
more than bare mention here of all their
efforts. I hope soon to have an oppor-
tunity of returning to them at greater
length; as also to say something about the
sumptuous bi-monthly published by M.
Dufet under the title of 44 Feuillets d'Art.”
It is obvious, of course, that in a series of
brief notes like these, treating as they do
of so vast a subject as French decorative
art, it is impossible for me to do justice to