The Studio yearbook of decorative art (1918)

INTERIOR DECORATION * NOTES ON
THE ILLUSTRATIONS
THE design for the end of a dining-room by Mr. Davis Richter
(p. 55) is characteristic of a style of mural decoration which this
artist has developed with considerable success. The grey wall
with its simple ornamentation forms a suitable background for
the three panels representing Medieval and Modern Power. The subdued
colouring of these panels—-soft tones of mauve, green and brown—
gives an impression of restfulness and refinement in keeping with the
quiet dignity of the general scheme.
An artist of remarkable individuality and fertile imagination, Mr.
George Sheringham seldom fails to arouse interest. His art reveals a
freshness of outlook, a subtle colour-sense, and a sound feeling for design
which places him among the leaders of the modern school of decora-
tion. The two designs for friezes shown here (p. 56) are typical exam-
ples of his work, though it is impossible to do justice to the originals
through the medium of a photograph. They are decorative fantasies
in which the masses of beautiful colour are so adjusted as to give to the
design rhythm and balance. The gracefulness and expressive beauty of
the sensitive draughtsmanship show the artist’s complete mastery of
his material. Mr. Sheringham is particularly happy when his fancy
moves him to depict Oriental scenes, such as Zara visits the Bazaar,
glowing with the jewelled splendour of the East and its riot of rich
colour. Nor is his delicately fanciful work any the less appealing when
he takes for his theme the graceful Columbine pirouetting lightly
among her companions. On pages 85 to 88 will be found five designs
for fans by Mr. Sheringham. Here again he displays his graceful
draughtsmanship, delicacy of handling, and refined sense of colour.
Mr. Morton Nance’s stately galleons are familiar to our readers; he
has exploited them as motives for mural panels and in a manner which
is peculiarly his own. The sketch on page 58 is a good example of his
sound draughtsmanship and picturesque treatment.
To those who contemplate decorating or furnishing their home we
would commend the study of a brochure by Mr. Hall Thorpe entitled
“ Is your Home beautiful ? ” In it will be found much sound advice
and many helpful suggestions, for Mr. Thorpe’s views are not only
rational but he is eminently practical. He has given much thought
to wall-decoration and has recently produced a number of woodcuts,
suitable for this purpose, which he colours by hand. One of these
decorative prints is reproduced here in facsimile (p. 59), and it may
be mentioned that an exhibition of Mr. Thorpe’s colour prints and
originals is now being held at the Mansard Gallery.
In the 1916 volume of this Year-Book we reproduced some of Mr. A.
J. Rowley’s intarsia panels, and we mentioned that they promised in-
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