DOI Heft:
United States
DOI Artikel:Solon, Léon Victor: A review of architecture: Its accessory arts in the United States
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42698#0141
A REVIEW OF ARCHITECTURE §# ITS
ACCESSORY ARTS IN THE UNITED
STATES. BY LEON V. SOLON
A N acquaintance with a record of distinguished achievement is
/\ the most efficient stimulant that can excite the curiosity or
/ 1 professional appetite of the artist to investigate the works of
^ a contemporary race. In those European countries in which
the arts flourish, mental excursion has a bewildering choice of high-
roads and bypaths, constantly changing as the diversified aims of their
schools reveal new vistas. A frequent and comprehensive exchange of
works of art is facilitated by the comparatively short distances separat-
ing the art centres; thus, few obstacles exist to deter an inquiring mind
from indulging itself by following any novel line of observation or tech-
nique that may invite scrutiny. So much more is available than can be
maturely reflected upon, that even those keenly interested seldom take
into account that benefit might be derived from seeking contact with
kindred effort in more distant and less mature civilizations, first dis-
missing from the mind that prejudice which has flourished on a recol-
lection of undue publicity accorded to immature essays.
Rapid developments may be expected from a race mainly composed of
men whose capital is their energy, and whose criterion of the appro-
priateness of means is the measure of success achieved in the thing
striven for. Within the limited scope of a short article, we hope to give
a glimpse of a truly extraordinary development in certain branches of
art during the last decade in the United States; during this time many
of these have emerged from a polyglot medley of amateurish effort to
an attainment of technical proficiency rarely equalled.
Worthy new material to prove our point could be found almost daily.
Foreveryconceivable purpose buildings are beingerected and equipped.
Inspiration is sought without bias throughout the entire archives of
architectural history ; aesthetic elements of style are as studiously
analysed as the more obvious peculiarities of form and proportion; with
the result that the integrity of any artistic phase, chosen as a prototype,
is preserved throughout its application to purposes exceedingly remote
from those that originally dictated the hypothesis. Yet withal, a
national imprint has evolved, powerful and subtle, which gives an in-
dividual life even to those works that have no other pretension than to
be faithful transcriptions of ancient standards.
How many European architects and craftsmen seriously consider the
inclusion of American Architectural and Applied Art Magazines in
their list of library purchases, with a view to keeping themselves posted
on the progress of their arts ? In attenuation of this omission, it must
be said that, were such a consideration entertained, it would be dis-
127
ACCESSORY ARTS IN THE UNITED
STATES. BY LEON V. SOLON
A N acquaintance with a record of distinguished achievement is
/\ the most efficient stimulant that can excite the curiosity or
/ 1 professional appetite of the artist to investigate the works of
^ a contemporary race. In those European countries in which
the arts flourish, mental excursion has a bewildering choice of high-
roads and bypaths, constantly changing as the diversified aims of their
schools reveal new vistas. A frequent and comprehensive exchange of
works of art is facilitated by the comparatively short distances separat-
ing the art centres; thus, few obstacles exist to deter an inquiring mind
from indulging itself by following any novel line of observation or tech-
nique that may invite scrutiny. So much more is available than can be
maturely reflected upon, that even those keenly interested seldom take
into account that benefit might be derived from seeking contact with
kindred effort in more distant and less mature civilizations, first dis-
missing from the mind that prejudice which has flourished on a recol-
lection of undue publicity accorded to immature essays.
Rapid developments may be expected from a race mainly composed of
men whose capital is their energy, and whose criterion of the appro-
priateness of means is the measure of success achieved in the thing
striven for. Within the limited scope of a short article, we hope to give
a glimpse of a truly extraordinary development in certain branches of
art during the last decade in the United States; during this time many
of these have emerged from a polyglot medley of amateurish effort to
an attainment of technical proficiency rarely equalled.
Worthy new material to prove our point could be found almost daily.
Foreveryconceivable purpose buildings are beingerected and equipped.
Inspiration is sought without bias throughout the entire archives of
architectural history ; aesthetic elements of style are as studiously
analysed as the more obvious peculiarities of form and proportion; with
the result that the integrity of any artistic phase, chosen as a prototype,
is preserved throughout its application to purposes exceedingly remote
from those that originally dictated the hypothesis. Yet withal, a
national imprint has evolved, powerful and subtle, which gives an in-
dividual life even to those works that have no other pretension than to
be faithful transcriptions of ancient standards.
How many European architects and craftsmen seriously consider the
inclusion of American Architectural and Applied Art Magazines in
their list of library purchases, with a view to keeping themselves posted
on the progress of their arts ? In attenuation of this omission, it must
be said that, were such a consideration entertained, it would be dis-
127