The Studio yearbook of decorative art (1917)

BRITISH DECORATION
ning of the war. Its founders, Mr. E. W. Tristram and Mr. J. F.
Flanagan, are both men of artistic ability and possess a thorough
technical knowledge, and their object is to produce silks, brocades, and
tapestries on hand-looms. The mill is situated at Macclesfield, a town
which contains a larger number of hand-loom silk-weavers than any
other in the country. Most of them are skilled craftsmen, holding in
their hands the long tradition of silk-weaving. It is found, however,
that they are gradually drifting into the power-loom mills where their
skill is of little value. It is of vital importance that the hand-loom in-
dustry should be kept alive, for the reason that power-loom goods must
always depend for their improvement on the influence of hand-loom
experiment. And for this reason, as well as on account of the high ar-
tistic quality of its productions, the East Anglian Weaving Company is
doing work of national value and is deserving of every enccruragement.
Another notable exhibit at Burlington House was the display made by
Messrs. Morris and Co. of the work of Mr. J. H. Dearie, who, as a de-
signer, is carrying on the traditions of William Morris. But all he pro-
duces bears the impress of his own individuality and fine decorative
sense, and in the large Arras tapestry, The Broo\, reproduced here in
colours, we have a work of considerable artistic merit and distinction,
both in conception and execution; while another colour plate shows
his “ Millefleurs” design for a tapestry hanging. Equally successful are
his printed cottons (pp. i 17 and 118).
Two designs for printed cretonnes by that deft and imaginative artist
Miss Jessie M. King, are shown on page 121. On the following pages
we give six fabrics produced by Mr. W. Foxton and Messrs. Wardle and
Co., from designs by well-known artists. Some of these are very
modern in feeling and show a decided striving after originality.
The following article on cc Colour 'Decoration in Relief ”
has been contributed by hMr. George R. Rankart
The subject of Colour Decoration in Relief, particularly from its
modern aspect, is one which, among artists, has more or less been re-
viewed with some controversy ; for the application of colour to relieved
design, whether in plaster, lime stucco, or other kindred material,
brings problems no less interesting than difficult. It may be that these
arise from some inadequate understanding and realization of the main
elements of this art as a thing in itself. For decades past decorative art
has, perhaps, lived and struggled along in a somewhat false atmosphere,
in its emulation of things done perfectly magnificently in the past,
which, however, do not in any way apply in their fitness to the present,
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