English Interiors

Page 1


CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

FINE ARTS LIBRARY


IHNH

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UNIvrH'.irv

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lEiHARV

924 063 909 604

DATE DUE

CA YLORO

P-niNTrO IN U

A.





Jntertnra BY C.

J.

CHARLES

THIRD EDITION

1919

JOHN LANE COMPANY

NEW YORK



MtnxatB DEDICATED TO

MY FATHER

THE AUTHOR ''"'"/, 1

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INTRODUCTION ,HE

I

and

furniture

in

,

true artistic value of English design interior

acknowledged,

freely

decoration

and

of every lo\er of

art,

Catholicity

and so

and the publication oi

far as

any

work may

this

characteristic

is

effort

of mine

assist in

an even

keener appreciation of English design, one

lessen

that

the

every art-lo\er

The measure

it

people.

Its

in

may

rest

will

not

nationality

extended

to

such

by

efforts

the world over.

history of the interior decoration

said to be that

when,

all

of

question

welcome

the

work

any

dealing with the subject has been widely

welcomed.

assured

is

of domestic architecture.

manners

the

reflects

development

the lonely

is

and

may be

In a large

dress

of the

continuous from the time

Keep and the

desolate

Castle,

a few trophies of the chase and the men's weapons, or

the

women's needlework, hung on

walls, to the

rough

time when, with the aid of carved oak,

stained glass, panelled

walls,

splendid pictures the lordly

mansions

the

beautiful

tapestries

and

manor houses and princely of magnificence

and

reached

the

height

comfort of which

the

many remaining examples

all

parts

of the country serve to remind

which we have cause to

feel justly

us,

proud.

in

and of



Noteworthy examples, Hardwick

such

H addon

as

Moat and Warwick

hope they

be for a long tune to

will

and

their

another, manN' others ha\

became

I

ago,

years

this

being placed

that

in

broken once

Time was when be offered all

that

me

with

so

up

^

to

attention

feeling,

unequalled

in

for

knowledge, that

many models worthy of

beyond

things

price,

never

they can

lost

be

the

in

replaced.

they were so lightly reoarded as to

We I

have changed

secured

then

have

be of inestimable value.

its

is

to be

to

the

as

it

sought, and, above

and although

purity,

Elizabethan

work (which was perhaps most and

housebreaker,

for a few shillings.

the best style in

art

many

art

our national museums were thrown

Purity of st)le

special

decoratue

little

now, but the models

now proxed

one reason or

for

The

\aluable material and

sense

their

the ruthless sacrifice of

in

description.

was gifted

or

we

was impressed by the almost criminal

I

work of

away

m

interested

which resulted

much

as

been remo\ed or destroyed.

e

Ignorance

instance,

but,

sucessors,

Castle

— come — by

ha\ e been carefully preserxed and maintanied

When

and

Halls, Sutton Place, Longleat, Hatfield

Burghle\ Houses, Ightham

owners

and

was

in

I

other

our national history),

have given

period

characteristic

in

this

of English

respects an

my

all,

interest in

age

and

admiration of other periods are not lessened, and these



it

my

be

will

which

pleasure to discuss

subsequent volumes

hope to publish

I

The

niHuence of the

Ens>land

felt in

in

attained

its

represented

e\erN

respect

Nexer

ad\enture and commercial

art, literature,

enterprise been in

of Henry VIII., and

rei(>n

/enith during the reio-n ok Elr/zabeth.

ha\e science,

indeed,

the

diirini^

Renaissance bet>an to be

greater ability, and,

ith

\\

Elizabethan age remains

the

an unequalled example of a nation's prosperity.

The

Drake, the

adventures of

incursions into

the Spanish Main, the seizing of the Spanish treasure

and

ships,

and, not

least,

greatest works of literature the

the

world has known, were

whose

walls

of the great Armada,

the defeat

finall\-

and

all

symptomatic of a generation chairs

staircases,

and

tables

were

constructed of English Oak. I

know of no

finer

such purposes than its

staunch

the nation's strength,

its

and

Material

Oak.

English

solid

character security.

—

very genius

durability,

its

Used, as

it

represents in

It

the

features

the world for

in

feeling,

its

of its

has been, from

the earliest period of England's history,

it

is

essentially

English.

The

drawings

many rooms

I

I

ha\e

America from old sought and carefully

am

illustrating here are

carried

material

out

that

collected.

I

in I

of the

England

have

and

sedulously

have been engaged



in

work

of this description

during which time It

when

IS,

making

restorations,

tone

lacking

IS

all

study,

and the that

in

easy

additions

and

true

of

there

that

result

It

a

to

is

and

satisfaction

work

only by long and

is

on good and inventive

attention

and

feeling

mind only when

the

detail.

its

grafted

closest

the

sense

m

v\hich arises

complete

careful

with

indefinable

know how

necessary

the suhtlet\,

original,

that

harmony

the

miss

to

the

oi

lia\e learned to

1

twenty years,

for the last

taste,

the most minute detail,

mistakes can be avoided.

Amongst

mv own work

these drawings of

one or two others which have been

and prepared

book

for this

of

characteristic

the

specially designed

to illustrate

some examples of

periods

earliest

are

English

decoration. It

not

IS

my

purpose

ambition

or

the subject exhaustively or to discuss the

different

st)les

of English

reason for favouring the

the fine

of home

feeling

tone

and

Oak

and

quality-

is

the

unrivalled

assistance

gives in attaining any real dignity and

any scheme of

In

of colour

Oak I

will

find

is

of

vital

always hold

but

me,

that, to

is

treat

merits of

the

decoration,

and

life,

to

it

for

my has its

which

it

proportion.

interior decoration the question

importance, and its

own.

such subtle colour,

f)r

In

in

this

respect

no other wood do

one that blends so well



with

its

equals

its

a

as

effectiveness

tapestries,

delicate

Oak

surroundings, as

age.

Nothing

background.

Armour,

mezzotint

embroideries,

rich

water-colour

with

drawings, or the

of Velasquez or Titian are

assisted

all

engravings,

work

robust

by the quiet

may

Like a Persian carpet, one

tones of old Oak.

say that "it goes with e\erything."

It

the

like

is

subdued radiance of old gold or the mellow

qualities

of good wine. It

should always be remembered

tion

of a room,

that

these

over

elaboration

—

that

admired

be

to

on the

better to err

far

of any decorative object,

or, indeed,

qualities

are

the decora-

in

side

—that

it

is

of simplicity than of

misplaced

"decoration"

"worse than waste" and merely an offence

to

is

good

taste.

There have been many books written of

late

on the subject of English Decorative Art, and one

may have ducing a

not

this

too

much of

work

I

hope

a I

good

thing, but in pro-

have succeeded

in

making

unwelcome addition to what has been done

by the knowledge, industry and

who have

preceded

me

in

this

versatility

branch of

of those art.



o 5

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CHAPTER OMFL

attempt

house

ment of be

of

the

at

of

history

may

building

a

reasonable

a

as

as

I.

a

be regarded

preliminary to treatdecoration.

interior

to

interest

trace

It

will

briefly

the

continuous changes and developments which, during the course of a few centuries, have transformed the

rude

gaunt

stronghold, the

keep of our

extent,

but,

man was nomadic

such a climate as ours,

in

he could not have survived shelter

times

later

days of our history

first

to a certain

some

the princely mansion

earlier ancestors into

and the comfortable home of In the

and the desolate

castle

if

he had not obtained

from the weather such

received from

is

the probability that

Of

or buildings were erected. conjectural, as

no

he may have

Con-

caves or hollow trees.

natural

sequently, there

as

wooden huts

course, this

is

purely

trace

of any such perishable building

until

the

remains. It

was not

i

ith

century that

stone

or permanent buildings of any description were built,

and

the

remain of

was

that

few this

of

remnants

existing

period

go

military

to

show

of

antiquity

that

that their purpose

strongholds

and

defensive



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of domestic dwellings or com-

than

rather

shelters

fortable homes.

Huge

earthworks were the "castles" which the

Conqueror and

These works were strengthened by stone

land. for

found scattered over the

his followers

the

purposes

of

projectmg towers, so advantage, and

it

was

more as

far

the

in

defence,

effective

walls

with

might prove an

these

midst of these earth-

works that many of the stone keeps of that time were for the

built,

domestic use of the owner, his family

and immediate attendants, tion

of the

\-assals

and

who

retainers

the towers and the keep, temporary

overflowed from

wooden

were regarded as forming an adequate

The keep built

in

angular varying

is

in size

usually

It

from 30 to 80

much

as

shelter.

was a massive

several

m

stories

16 or 20 feet

less

rect-

height,

The

feet square.

were of ereat strength and seldom often as

structures

the earliest form of English house

permanent fashion. structure

accommoda-

whilst, for the

walls

than 8 feet and

in thickness.

With

but one room on each floor, these walls were honey-

combed with mural chambers and contained many recesses

places

which

were

used

by the family and

most instances a

as

sleeping

principal

and

guests,

circular stair connected

one

retiring

whilst

in

floor with

the other.

The rooms

were indifferently lighted by means



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I

THE AUTHOR'S ELIZABETHAN KITCHEN.



of narrow

slits in

made

for a

mere

recess

and no which

fire.

m

flue as

the walls and In

such

we know

it,

was

the fireplace was a

cases

the wall, with no ornamental

to a small

led

cases pro\ ision

in

feature

but a funnel was pro\ided

opening

\ertical

the face of

in

the wall through which part of the smoke, or e\en the whole of

it,

could find

its

way

This might

out.

not ha\e been so objectionable as one would imagine, for there

are

smoke of

the

These as

more unpleasant odours than those of a pine or

fireplaces,

oak

log.

however, were of generous

size,

they might well be, considering that the windows

were unglazed and large enough to make the room cold whilst they were not large

room

enough

to light the

well.

There was no attempt

The

structure.

floors

at decoration in the

whole

were of wood, rough, stout

and substantial, whilst the doorways were small and of the simplest description.

There

Conqueror,"

the

some size

are but few remains

fine

and

but

examples.

of these " Castles of

of the " keep " First

historical interest,

we

still

and foremost, both

have for

we have the White Tower

of the Tower of London, which was begun by order of William the Conqueror near the end of the iith century and which measures

The

ii8

feet

keep of Rochester Castle was

by 107

built

feet.

about the



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1130 and measures 70

year

Dover Castle (about worth,

Peak Castle,

feet

the

54

rooms

number and badly

in

a

whilst

and

plan,

smaller one,

only some 40 feet by

is

immense thickness of the

tor the

were

Kenil-

feet square.

oblong

is

feet,

Derbyshire,

in

Allowing

2,6 feet.

11 80,

b)'

90

is

54)

i

dating about

measures 87

walls

i

That of

square.

feet

although

spacious,

lighted.

few

in

This type of building

was continued during the 13th and 14th centuries,

and much

later in the

of the countr\-,

North and other disturbed

as instanced

by Tattershall Castle

Lord Treasurer Cromwell

Lincolnshire, built by

15th century, Cocklaw Tower near 1

6th century, with

as

late

as

many

the accession of

in

in stone,

and

Hexham

in in

in

the

the

others on the Scottish border

James

Later on there

I.

were built what may be described as houses

parts

fortified

manor-

probable that these embodied

it is

permanent material the plans which had prevailed

less

in

durable form.

The keep was and one room

planned and contrived for defence,

piled

on top of the other, but

Manor House,

as

more and more

settled

the

state

in

the

of the country became

and defence not so imperative,

the rooms were placed alongside of each other on the

ground, and the keep type with comfort

fell

into disuse,

on the contrary, survived.

its

particular lack of

and the Manor House type, It is

the old

Manor House



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which has developed through the centuries into the house of modern times

The

fortified

we know

it.

Manor House,

in

as

addition to

strong outer walls, was usually surrounded

its

by a deep

ditch or moat, across which a drawbridge was placed,

which could be

raised or lowered as occasion

and which

to

led

required,

a strongly defended gateway.

where moats were impossible, advantage

hilly districts

was taken oi any precipitous ground which afford side

natural

protection on perhaps principal

was a central

houses

when

lived

indoors.

sleeping place for a

The

of the building.

fortified

In

room or rooms

It

hall,

was the

Adjoining

all.

for the master,

would

more than one feature

of these

where everyone

living,

this at

dinmg and one end was

which was

called the

"Solar," and at the other end a kitchen or a culinary

department,

which

formed

headquarters of the

the

ser\ants.

The

hall,

or principal room, was necessarily of

large size, lofty

and of one story, with an open timber

roof,

sometimes

freely decorated.

Its

importance was

so pronounced that the house itself was called "

Hall," a in

name which

is

applied to the principal house

the parish to this day.

The

entrance door was at

the servants' end, and, for the sake of privacy

some degree of comfort, which

also

The

a screen

and

was usually placed

formed a corridor between the

hall

and



AN ELIZABETHAN DOORWAY.



This screen was not usually

the kitchen. the

height of the room, but arranged

full

manner

to

as

show

shall

The

days.

a

hall

in

one of the principal decorative

of the Elizabethan and Jacobean

kitchen was generally oi

In the

mans

cellars

some importance

for

and the

stores,

cases, included a chapel.

Manor House origin

direct

such a

in

and de\eloped, as we

galler)',

rooms above and

"Solar,"

the

lorm

later, into

features of the

with

carried to

those early days

of

of the house of to-day.

we

find

All the

changes which ha\e taken place ha\e tended towards Progress was naturally

increased comfort and prixac)'.

slow, but, by degrees, as settled,

attention

became

rather than on defence.

concentrated

on

comfort

Drawbridges and moats were

no longer required, the surrounding great strength, needed

became more

the country

no

walls,

though of

towers, houses

defensive

were planned with courtyards, more expansive windows were introduced, sheltered gardens and terraces became possible,

home and

and

with

increased

national

reHected the growing wealth the

house became

merely

not

defence against enemies, but a

real

The

wider

opportunities

for

of the a

home

and even a place of entertainment trade

security,

country,

shelter for

for

and

the

its

his

or

a

owner

friends.

adventure

enabled the trader to become rich and the nobles more powerful.

There was added

to the great hall, wherein



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the

Norman Baron had

and guests

in

sat at the table

patriarchal

serxino men, the lon^

lady might seek from

affected

i

entertainment and

for

and prixacy uhicli the lord and

for the retirement

end oi the

rommon

the

his

By the

throng.

6th century these changes had materially

e\en

the

size

and

plan

the house, and

of

ultimate^ led to the extinction of the

hall as a

room, and

refinement

a

height

reached indicated

in

of

and

luxury

strong

was

such noble examples as Burghley,

Hatfield and Audle\ End, whilst

we mark the

ment of comfort and convenience

in

as Ockwells

and

to his retainers

relation

o^allcr\

with his family

Manor, Berkshire, Speke

such

lesser

attain-

houses

Hall, Lancashire,

and Bramall Hall, Cheshire.

The

general appearance of the houses of those

times \aried

houses

were

different

in

built

abundant, varying material.

the

cashire,

plain In

In

parts

of stone,

in detail

is

wherever

stone

The was

according to the nature of

Derbyshire,

where the stone

of the country.

Yorkshire and

Lan-

hard, the work was of a

and severe type, the colour grey and sombre.

the west, Somersetshire, Wiltshire and Midlands,

Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Northampton and Lincoln,

the

delicate,

easily

worked material was both

and

and under the influence of time and weather

has acquired a soft grey tion

rich

of many hued

tint

lichens. 12

enlivened by the incrustaIn the Eastern Counties



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was

brick for

employed, stone being used only

chiefly

"quorns," cornices, parapets and

some mstances, where stone was used to imitate

it.

was

In Cheshire, Worcestershire

and

and what are known

Of

in

various

parts

examples, with

as

half-timbered

used,

freely

houses were

method of construction we

this

of England

much

in

plaster

scarce,

Hereford timber and plaster were more

general.

and,

pilasters,

plainer

most

the

find

ornamental

work of the same kind

in

Kent, Surre\, and Sussex.

formed

work

half-timbered

In

of stout

interspaces structural

filled

main

the

timber framed in

with

timbers were

left

lath

and

too-ether

and

visible,

were

walls

the

The

plaster.

giving the house

an ornamental appearance and satisfying the eye as to

The

finest

Bramall

Hall,

the strength and stability of the fabric.

specimen of a half-timbered house near Stockport, Cheshire. quaint

This house

and picturesque, but approaches

stateliness as

is

possible with such

House-building energies Civil

War,

century

is

homely

is

only

not

as

near to

materials.

were diverted

by

the

and, consequently, the middle of the 17th

was

architecture,

not with

prolific

the

in

examples

of domestic

added misfortune that many

buildings were destroyed.

How-

ever, with the Restoration, matters improved,

and the

ancient houses and

arts received

more recognition

m

high places than had



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accorded

been

The

before.

pursuit

of architecture

became an elegant accomplishment.

men of

bei>an

culture

somewhat new point became completeK at

Whitehall

is

of

\

building

studN

to

iev\

Amateurs and

The Banqueting

Italianised.

detail.

It

architecture

The

completed.

of the

1

was designed It

II.

classic influence

William,

Burlington, Earl

Cambridge

have

and

as

trace

of

part of the

a great loss to

scheme was not

remained to the end

it.

Earl

of

Pembroke,

Dean Aldrich and Dr.

Sir

James

good claim

designers of distinction.

to

be

Burroughs

at

recognised

as

Indeed, the amateur architect

8th century had a long and even illustrious

Vanburgh, the poet,

ancestry.

Castle

Henry,

Fitzwilliam,

Oxford,

at

1

least

8th and the beginning of the 19th century,

Lord

of the

is

that the whole

where we must be content to leave

Clark

Hall

quite the most classical building of the

Palace to be built for James British

a

English architecture

.

17th centur\-, and one that shows the Elizabethan

from

Howard.

E\en

the

built

great

Blenheim and

Wren

was

an

amateur

in

the sense that he had received no early

trainino-

in

architecture and was a scientist before he

turned his attention to It

was

house were

was devoted

art.

at this time that the

altered.

to the

arrangements of the

The whole of the ground floor family, who were provided with a



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of rooms, dining and drawing rooms,

suite

parlours,

leadmg

and the

then became a large \estibule

hall

The

to them.

and

library

serxants were rclerated to the

basement.

The

long gallery and the grand chamber went

out of fashion and

it

became the custom

to devote

the upper floors to the sleeping accommodation of the

The

household. style

were the absence of gables and the substitution

of sash windows for the old muUioned form. took awav the picturesque treatment which teristic of-

decorati\'e

window was not

as the old

picturesque

artistic effects. artistic

literature.

susceptible to so

details

efforts

gave

way

had

much

to be

The

variation

The dormers

whether

and

in

cold,

to

not

classical spirit

Stateliness

charac-

is

and not to the wall

arrangements

The

This

chimney disappeared.

to the roof

spacing and other

all

sky-line

muUioned form had been.

now belonged fact,

The

the earlier houses.

and the

plain

sash

new

distinctn e characteristics of the

;

in

careful

conducive

to

seemed to pervade

painting, sculpture or

noble

proportions

were

achieved at the expense of picturesqueness and com-

and truth gave place to

fort,

distinction

home

Blenheim

Persons of

seemed content to forego the comforts of

for the opportunity

This

artificiality.

period

causing

is,

of

living the stately

perhaps,

Pope, when

best it

life.

represented

by

was described to



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him, to sav " that

'tis

the

Brothers

of

flights

restrained

them

later,

and,

proportions

careful

in

from

sec

house and not

a

pre\ailed

I

a

ol

the whilst

imparted

refinement

you ha\c been telhng

dwelling."

whilst

Adam, fancN,

all

which

still

Less se\erity

conforming to

classic

indulging an will

men

styles,

no

in

indi\iduality

e\er

the like

great

and

distinguish

the annals of English architecture.



-. -'

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J



CHAPTER

II.

DECORATION. N

Ages

the Middle

the manners and

customs of the people were crude

in

the extreme, and education so confined the

to

priesthood

culture

that

of the

taste could hardly be expected

Medie\al

masses.

art

was to be found

and the Church, but can

scarcely

in

Abbey

the

be said to have

touched the home, which, as we have shown

With became

in

the

was more a place of safety and

previous chapter, shelter than

and

of pleasure and delight. further

national

and

available,

as

security larger

comforts

commercial enterprise with the trader and wealth was

other countries enriched

accumulated, so also arose the desire for something

more at

than

bare

walls

and boarded

the beginning of the

development took

floors.

i6th century that

place,

and

especially

It

was

this rapid

during

the

second half was the extraordinary advance particularly noticeable.

a vast prise.

The whole

awakening

New

in

all

century marks the

departments of

time of

human

enter-

countries were discovered and explored, 17


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new ways were followed and

religion

art

in

in

and

;

science,

the

in

learning, in

knowledge

ways was distributed by the invention of and

of these printing,

by the greater intercourse with the nations

also

of Europe.

Another cause was

to be found in the dissolution

of the monastries, which transferred into private and

much of

secular hands

the valuable property hitherto

held by the church, and mansions, instead of monastries,

became the scene of

centres in country

themselves erected

The

in

late

and

culture

conditions of social

the stately

the

in

life.

new

All these

1

homes and

ability

which remain to

this

day

a comfortable English

Be

in

it

the

1

7th centuries.

a

who fought

the stone

in

still

rooms

still

serves

and oak

home.

Manor House of

suffices,

the

monument and example of

the Squire or the

magnificent Mansion of the Noble, the tion

expressed

of the statesmen, and the

found an echo

foe,

life

princely mansions

6th and early

courage and endurance of the men nation's

and the principal

hospitality

accommoda-

and the actual decoration of the as

a

model

for

imitation

and

reproduction.

The

strength

and

stability,

elegance or refine-

ment, unrest and waywardness of the times are found in

the

art

of

its

period, and

the

Elizabethan era,



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which witnessed beheld

succeeded

led

which

and

\t

of science and

birth

subhme

the

gain

poetry

Shakespeare

new

this

and indi\idual

effort

indeed, equalled

During

in

this

built

Burghley, Long-

as

for picturesque detail

have never been surpassed, or

if,

the history of England.

remarkable period were some of the

which England ever possessed.

houses built

Holdenby,

quite

reaching again, also produced architecture

in

and Hatfield remain, which

largest

which

to

never

has

it

and decoration, and such houses leat

heights

art,

1580, so

in

the house

as

far

itself

went, was larger than the great palaces at Blenheim

and Castle Howard.

224

feet, as against

and that

at

fronts were

Its

320

feet

and 220

Howard 324

Castle

for

first

state

of the mansions

feet

built

on so large a

conceived

house was sold and most of

feet at

feet

and

Blenheim,

by 210

feet.

of Hampton Court,

Holdenby, with the exception

was the

360

it

for pleasure

and

The

big

scale.

pulled

down

in

the

time of the Commonwealth, and only a very small

now

portion

of the

added

good many rooms

form

a it

is

a

original

in

exists.

1890, and

Lord Clifton in its

present

house of which any owner may

feel

proud.

The most

characteristic feature

and Jacobean houses window.

Previous

to

is

of the Elizabethan

the square-headed mullioned this

time the windows were



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always arched or pointed, and this can always be taken

Tudor and

between the

as a distinguishing feature later styles.

The

window,

large

bay

bus>-

patterned

sometimes

quaint

and

glazing, also formed

one

of the most important features the occasional

enhanced

introduction

with

its

of the facade, and

of stained

glass

further

its effect.

The

simplicity oi the doorways, chimneypieces,

roof and ceilings was the most striking feature of the

and

Medie\al contrast

Gothic

styles,

and

forms

strong

upon them

the elaboration bestowed

to

a

in

later periods.

The

earliest

type of door was a cross stretcher

on the back of a few boards case,

like the lid

of a packing-

and was generally strengthened by wrought iron

The

straps.

simple construction was followed by an

obviously better method, namely, that

as

panels.

We

have some

really

fine

and Tudor doors constructed on both these these

were

and

hinges internal

Gothic

lines,

but

generally the outer ones, and their iron fittings

are

and

the

door

worthy of attention.

doorway

first

important feature during the Elizabethan earlier

the

and introducing the thinner

thickest pieces together

wood

of framing

The

became an era.

The

simply moulded surround gave place to doors

flanked by pilasters

;

the door-heads were sometimes



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ornamented,

lavishly

moulded, car\ed or

the

doors

themselves

freely

and much fancy displayed

inlaid,

embellishment.

in their

This rather

free treatment

more sober

led to the

and calculated method of such trained architects as

With

Inigo Jones and others.

and

N'anbrough,

the advent of

were superseded

pilasters

massue almost detached columns supporting and cornice, with sometimes a

frieze

Wren

by more a

bolder

straight, broken,

or semi-circular pediment enclosing a shield or similar

decoration of more or

The

importance.

less

Adam

Brothers

introduced

the

discreetly

enriched and car\ ed architraves, friezes and cornices so often evoked by their names. Until the i6th century the staircase remained an

unimportant feature.

plan contrived

the spiral

even

nothing

times

at

served

to

connect

development of the

The

was usually

It

width

now

one

in

less

of stone on

the solid masonry, and primitive

floor

staircase,

built

with

than a ladder another.

The

however, was very rapid.

increased enormously,

and

has, in fact,

never been exceeded, and the whole staircase became, in short,

one,

house.

The

between

it

if

not the most decorative feature

handrail

and the stout

became

massive,

the

string course filled in

in the

space

with

stout turned or square-shaped balusters, or, as occasionally

happened, with carved and fretted woodwork. 21



WALNUT CHIMNEYPIECE THE RESIDENCE OF HERBERT PRATT, ESQ., LONG ISLAND,

A

FINE

IN L. U.

S.

A.


t

'i


The

newel posts were important and carried up well

above the handrail, with their tops either wrought into shapes

striking

crowned

or

Frequently a gate was placed as

is

seen at Hatfield

with

heraldic

at the foot

animals.

of the

stairs,

House and elsewhere, with

the

intention of preventing the dogs and other domestic

animals from wandering into the upper chambers. In the late 17th

and during the i8th century the

one exception to the making of everything bolder and heavier was the staircase.

The

massive newels were reduced

balustrade and handrail

made

in

height, the

lighter, the string-course

dispensed with, and the end of the steps shown.

A

notable feature again was that the handrail, which had

from newel to newel, was

previously been

straight

ramped, that

curved upwards at each turn of the

stair to

is,

obtain a proper

A

little

level.

carving was judiciously introduced

turned balustrade and the end of the steps, and

toward the close of the century came the and the iron balustrading of the

staircase

in

the

finally

elliptical *'

Adam

Hall."

The purely

chimneypiece, while no

utilitarian,

architectural

From

assumed

and decorative

the

longer remaining

importance

of

an

feature.

the earliest times the fireplace has always

been an object of

interest.

Originally

it

was placed



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flush with the

wall, with a projecting

hood

the smoke, which was carried out of the short

funnel

when

recesses were

through the

contrived

duced, this hood,

wall,

to catch

room by but

later,

made and chimney-shafts if

used

at

all,

a

intro-

became more an

ornamental feature than a necessity.

Some of tive

and

the Gothic chimneypieces were decora-

interesting, but

it

was not

until

the Eliza-

bethan period, when a greater attention was given

them by that

their designers,

their

dimensions increased,

became the chief feature of the room.

the)

Columns,

and

fantastic

or

pilasters

caryatides

supported

the heavy moulding over the fire-opening, and panels

and

crowned

pilasters,

by a cornice, reached,

apparently supported, the ceiling

were aeneralh' two or three

in

itself.

and

These panels

number, and, as with

the ceilings, heraldry' played an important part in their

The

decoration.

family arms were the chief ornament,

which form of decoration, besides gratifying the family imparted a dignity to the room, and

pride,

excuse

needed

is

sentiment linger

A

for if

this

display,

*'

where

if

any

should

not around the family hearth?"

date was sometimes carved on the chimneypiece,

which has history,

assisted to identify

and

its

builder.

many an

old house,

its

Chimneypieces were originally

more frequently made of stone than of wood, and

many

splendid examples, finely carved, are to be found.



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One

of the illustrations shows

taken out of the Mansion

m

and now

Bristol,

V^alentine.

bethan

It

and

period,

House was

good

a

is

House, Queen's

the

removed

was

when

saved

riots

to

H.

S.

of the Eliza-

representative

was

Sl|u,uc,

Mr.

of

possession

during

fired

chimneypiece

the

chimncypiece

a

the

Mansion This

1831.

in

Clifton,

where

it

remained until 1894.

The two found

W.

R.

those

Compton

Greenfield,

Ma)or of

Bristol in

The

The arms

Hearst.

were

chimneypieces

1685.

were

illustrated

the same house at Bristol, and were bought

in

bv Mr.

chimneypieces

stone

of

Sir

carved on these

Robert Cann, of

who was

Gloucestershire,

the

1662 and 1675, and who died

in

other arms shown are of the Merchant

Adventurers of

Bristol,

The same change treatment of the chimneypiece.

and of the City of that

doors

we have

and

Architects,

Bristol.

described

panelling

in

affected

who had by

this

the the

time

asserted themselves, adopted a larger handling of the

design, and

instead

of the smaller panels above the

fire-opening, this space was treated in the as

the

retained

was

walls its

altered,

of the room.

same fashion

The chimne\piece

still

importance, but the style of decoration

and the insertion of

a portrait, still-life or

landscape, diversified with architectural ruins, replaced



A STONE MANTELPIECE OF THE 17TH CENTURY. (See page 24.)



This

the car\cd panel.

t'orm

of decoration ga\e an

agreeable note of colour and interest to the room.

Through

a

still

treatment, adopted about

later

W'lllth century,

the middle and latter part of the

the

chimnevpiece became an isolated feature independent

of the general scheme of decoration, and reminiscent

the

onl)'

room was the dado

of the panelled

or

dado-rail.

The saw

reigns of

a re\ersion

Queen Anne and

the earh' Georges

The

of the treatment of panelling.

projecting panel ga\e place to a sunken one with the simplest material this

of

mouldings,

employed was

and

many

in

plaster instead

treatment was further simplified

good cornice and

relieved

painted

figured silk

covered

or

with

now imported from

had supplanted

the

Genoese

hardly adaptable to the lighter in

vogue.

Silk

damask,

the

Even

of wood.

crowned with

•

a

by the dado, the doors and

the chimnevpiece, the walls were either

instances

left

unrelieved, and

some of

Venetian

mode of

likewise,

dainty

where they

Frajice,

and

the

velvets

furniture

now

soon became popular

and harmonised well with the gilded woodwork and other objects.

It

and surrounded by

was usually applied a carved

and

gilt

in

flat

wooden

panels

frame.

France also supplied a kind of wall paper for the less

important

damasks and the

apartments, earlier

which

imitated

Utrecht velvets.

these

The custom



STONE MANTELPIECE OF THE 17TH CENTURY. A

(See

page 24.)



co\ cring the walls with paper goes back as hir us

ot

At am'

the X\'lth centurw

of Paperhangers received Pans, and

in

is,

had existed

practice

their charter

from Henri IV.

therefore, to he tor

assumed that the

some time before

this.

Chinese

real

painted

paper was used for the purpose.

printed

made

followed bN a kind

Worms,

but the

owing

called,

1599 the Guild

X\'IIth centur\

the

In

it

in

rate

England b\

Germain'

in

the

that

tact

it

This was

Frankfort and

at

Chinese, or Indian, as

to

and

was often

it

was imported into

Company, alwa)S remained

the East Indian

the most highly appreciated.

The

mural decorations of Cipriani and Pergolese

bear ample testimony to the popularity

Wren

died

some good

for

and

in

first

of

work on

his

personality was

of

his

1754.

in

all

is

in

things

His

rock and

)ear,

Old

and

XV.

different ;

indeed,

measure responsible for the craze

French that

practically

same

work shows

and Louis

infected

middle of the XVIIIth century. is

the

perhaps greater than that of any

contemporaries.

a great

by

1748;

Chippendale pub-

furniture in the

influences, Gothic, Chinese

he

responsible

this time, died in

represented

best

is

Admiralt)' Offices, died lished his

enjoyed.

1723^ Kent, who was

interiors

who

Gibbs,

it

England about the Louis Quinze work

synonymous with rococo, the

shell curves that,

like

for

fanciful

some fungus growth,





invaded

branches of the decorative arts with amazing

all

recklessness

and

Louis

rapidity.

XV.

development of the Louis XIV.

not a direct

is

style,

but owes

its

chief characteristic, namely, an unprecedented freedom,

or

even

the

to

licence,

China and Japan.

of the

intervention

arts

of

Chinese lacquer and porcelain had

been brought to Europe by the Dutch traders

in

the

middle of the XVIIth century, and found their way to

all

the

European

The

courts.

and the

phoenix

dragon triumphed wherever they made

their appear-

Hardly a palace or manor house lacked

ance.

Chinese room with

painted or

work

Martin

Vernis

walls.

its

its

"japanned" lacquer

became

a

fashionable

pastime.

Strangely enough, France, whence fashions emanated, during the centuries

to order

The

all

styles

XVIIth and XVIIIth

was herself destined to be once more

by the

so-called

classic

arts

Louis XVI.

and

called

of Greece and Rome.

style

was nothing more

than a return to the purer, simpler forms of ornament revealed

by

the

discoveries

made

Herculaneum and speedily adapted

and

in

Pompeii

in

the hothouse

of refined taste and elegance of every kind which Paris

had

become.

It

is

difficult

to

say

Louis XVI. ends and Empire begins.

exactly

where

The names of

kings and queens are conveniently used as a means of

denoting

styles,

and the

fact

remains that

in

most





countries society follows the fashion set by the reigning

Let us, ne\ertheless, not forget that to a

so\ereign.

great extent

he himself

and that " Ars lonoa,

With ha\e

finer

amazing

until the

was

been

effects

simple geometrical into an

his

richness,

Beginning

repetition of a design

is

which character they retained

surprising

is

Their variety

how seldom

the

section

in

ceilings

shows the

were somewhat

The

ones.

artist

ones

elaborate

work,

irregular, the effect

is

the

of heavier these

in

the artisan, and

in

in

much

if

softer

old

they

and

more pleasing than the mechanical accuracy which

far is

more

loft)'

a

to be found.

Designs of slight projection were used rooms, and

with

were gradually elaborated

end of the XX'IIth century. it

and never

results,

attained.

ribs, the)'

wonderful, and

lower

time,

regard to the ceilings, here the plasterer's

blossomed out into wonderful

art

of

bre\is."

ita

\

but a child

is

given to them at the present day.

the

ornament

geometrical,

equal

again

floral

artistic

or

heraldic,

it

was

treated

the

While

the

concealed

all

with

the heraldry introduced

if

apparently ser\ ed to gratif) the family pride, theless,

\ariety of

Whether

extraordinary.

is

power, and

The

it

is,

never-

happiest form of decoration conceivable.

Eli/abethan

and

Jacobean

treatment

construction, the Georgian age not only

revealed the same, but used

it

as a basis for the panel



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The

decoration oF their ceilings.

ornament, instead

of being spread o\er the whole surface equally, was

round

concentrated

car\ ing the plaster

The and

and

panels,

wood

the

like

work was gi\en much greater

relief

for

more

than that given by the square structural

lines,

thus obtained

effect

\ariet\

the

caused

to

led

desire

of circular

introduction

the

a

and

oval

panels.

The XVIIIth

century reverted to the old idea of

treatino o the ceiling o as one large o relief

Abraham Swan

ornament.

surface with low

flat

are of the

ceilings

discursne and rococo type, while the brothers

mtroduced

a

more geometrical

design

Adam with

replete

delicacy and refinement. Still

another type which came into vogue must

not be overlooked, namely the painted ones associated

with the names of Verrio, Laguerre, and, afterwards,

Thomhill brought

and o\er

by

Charles

Laguerre,

who was

direction,

and

best

work,^

class

lived

perhaps,

Hospital, died

Kauffmann.

Angelica

in

died

in

pupil, continued in the

his

are

the

The

1707.

same

Thomhill, whose

1721.

until

1733.

and

II.,

was

Verrio

ceilings

in

Greenwich

favourite subject in this

of work was allegory of the heroic type, but

phase of decoration

is

only

buildings and great houses.

to

be

At

painting associated with Angelica

a

found later

in

this

public

period the

Kauffmann's name



o o



was of much more

and more adapted

delicate character

to domestic buildings.

As

the bare stone of the

Keep had

to the plaster walls of the medieval

development the

in

form of wainscot

tapestry.

This

round the

walls as a

panelling

wainscot sort

was

of

but

lining,

this

down

with ease

some other than

accounts

the

One of

rooms.

it

was not

and could

as such, it

all

recorded that

is

the inheritor of the house, and would

down and for

fact,

in

;

carried

would sometimes pass by bequest to

panelling

be taken

upon

in

hanging of

the

or

panelling

necessarily a fixture or looked

be taken

house, a further

decoration took place

interior

its

to give place

set

up

of some old panelled

irregularity

the

This probably

elsewhere.

most

frequent and

successful

forms of panel decoration was that known as the linen-

The

fold.

linen-fold panelling belongs really to the

Gothic and Tudor periods, but,

as

we have

said, the

wainscotmg was sometimes removed from other and earlier buildings,

and we

find

handed on to Eliza-

it

bethan and Stuart houses.

A

fine

example can

be

seen

Magdalen College, Oxford, which brought

from

satisfactory

Readmg

is

Abbey.

said to

was

It

Hall

of

have been a

most

form of treatment, and perhaps one of the

most frequent and popular, and we slightly

the

in

altered

in

/

Italy,

France

find

and

it

only very

Germany.

A



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much

kind 1

7th

favoured

century

panels

or

9

i

mches high,

wood

made

or

any

It.

the

and

a

consisted

of

o

wide,

inches

depending

enriched

contrasted

no way

painted

or

for

pictures.

against

with

restfully

doorways,

introduction

the

was

It

armour,

placed

chimneypieces and with

their

framing.

pictures,

and

18

time

this

at

of

Dutch painting were introduced

Holbeins and

that

of

moulded

b)

late

to

15

beauty

the

pleasingly

interfered

portraits

from

was

generously carved in

and

that

furniture

or

of undecorated

series

on

i6th

early

background

perfect

This

a

surrounded

and

only,

It

the

in

into England.

The

Jacobean by an

distinguished

which

increased

intricacy

which

moulding

and

panelling

was

very

followed

often

of framing ingeniously

The

introduced and varied with inlaid wood.

amount of still

In

panelling

combination

an

played walls,

at

oak

the

the

small

arrangement.

broader

rail

of

universally

part

in

was adopted.

it

panelling,

distance

tapestry

of the

covering

the

treatment as could

coming of the Georges

panels

The

gave

way

large

to

panels

wider and were generally divided a

large

place of carving which

the

as interesting a

With

be desired.

much

with

important

and makes

treatment

how

shows

exists

in

is

of about two

feet

this

much

a

became

by a dado

nine

to

three



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from

feet

the

two or

while

floor,

at

most

three

extended to the height of the room.

The mouldmgs,

now made

framing, they were in

carving was

mstead of bemg treatment,

was

naturalistic

form.

in

bolder, and,

of being merely sunk and scratched on the

instead

ment

much

again, were

treated

m

flat

to

in

m

Fruit,

Enrich-

same way, and

the

and conventional

section

high

project.

and

relief

flowers and

assumed

and were carved with great boldness,

will

The name of

relief.

always be associated with

carving.

XIV.

was, doubtless,

It

objects

motives

military

as

inspired

trophies,

delicate

this class

were

such

hunter's

horn

as

weapons,

which

pastimes of the Court

from

symbolical

Both fine

at

the

of the or

the

expressive

of

the

were

so

in

leisure

Haddon and

of

such

heads,

animals'

its

Louis

where, however,

martial spirit of the age, or the accessories

chase,

finish

of decorative

by the

derived so

walls,

Grinling Gibbons

style then prevalent in France,

decorative

the

a

birds arranged

swags and drops, apparently hung on the

and strong

in

moments.

Hatfield are to be found

specimens of the long gallery, and a description

of these with the

some

illustration

we

give

may convey

idea of the importance attached to this notable

feature of the Elizabethan mansion.



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The

first

wmdows

glorious bay

command

that

landscape and garden.

It

is

floor to ceiling.

The

Italian

and

not

best

in

and

numerous

at

its

an

and

frieze

leaves

much

but

The

feeling.

feature,

gallerv

being

gallery,"

163

no bays, but

The whole of

a

series

deep

of noble

noticeable

indeed

is

"

a

lono-

that at

Haddon

contains

it

of windows along one here,

as,

side.

indeed, in

the

in this gallery are fine architectural

with

separates

it

really

a

shows

Haddon,

but

in

in

Fluted square columns divide

panelling

of the walls

heavy

moulding

shows a

below

from the lower panelling.

panelling

beautiful

moulded panels divided by small

with

columns,

and

proportion

The

gallery. frieze

most

its

in

long by 20 feet wide and

feature

their coloured marbles.

the

Tudor

is

house, are the grand marble chimney-

this

The two

pieces.

feet

pilasters,

a noble apartment.

is

it

like

principal

are

Hatfield

at

16 feet high, and

work

bays

great

the

Geometrical ribbed

ornamentation,

little

and altogether

The

The

The

cornice,

of which, with the carved caps to the

with

panels

them.

divide

detail

ceiling,

from

shown here

is

circular-headed

which

to be desired.

of the

a view

influence

enriched

with

ornately panelled

the

pilasters

carry

pilasters

apartment

magnificent

a

is

the this

same

Italian

instance

the

which

This lower

influence

as

at

circular-headed



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panels and

the pilasters that

good, both

in

are

richly

them

divide

proportion and detail.

moulded

Below, again,

plaster

compared

floor

laid

is

to the

of the

rest

earliest

This type was destined

country.

The

work.

and

pattern,

type of floor seen

inlaid

of a

is

lacking in

little

with a diamond-shaped

probably the

here

ceiling

complex geometrical pattern, and a dignity

really

good specimens of the

panels,

The

Jacobean period.

are

is

in this

to speedily super-

sede the simple boarding.

The whole of the

influence

work

the

of the

the

in

and

renaissance

Italian

shows

gallery

all

its

refinement and delicacy of feeling.

For the

we must

ideal

turn

chamber or

great

to

Hardwick

state

apartment

Sixty-five

Hall.

feet

long, a width of about 30 feet, exclusive of a large

which the chair of

recess in

height of about 24

The

it

is

is

placed, and

worthy of

a

name.

its

decoration of this apartment merely consists of

plaster ceiling

"

feet,

state

and tapestry with but itself

plaster "

is

plain,

and " colour,"

but i

i

little

an feet

The

panelling.

enriched deep,

is

feature and worthy the attention of the

frieze

a

in

unique

student of

English decoration. After the George's, English decoration said, for a time at least, to be

may be

devoid of interest.

development had been continuous

y

taste

Its

may have



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ebbed and

flowed a

furniture and decoration

than

reason

it

the

drapery

much

to

it

doubtful

is

if

in

e\er reached a lower ebb

XlXth

unnecessary to go

is

builder," '*

it

the middle of the

in

but

little,

For what

century.

The

into.

"speculative

"manufacturer of furniture," and the decoration

store

answer

may have

department "

for.

But happily the time has passed when

it

was

considered sufficient to ha\e a knowledge of pictures

The

and sculpture only. to be

sense of pleasure, which

den\ed from proportion and colour, must

is

also

be satisfied by the furniture and interior decoration of a

With such examples

home.

and

contents

their

how

surprising

low as we

find

in

English it

in

as these noble

our

midst,

taste

should

sunk

so

keener appreciation

^

and

shown

is

it

in

may

be said

America

m

for

than

is

found

can no longer be said, as

it

was but twenty or

the It

a

have

the middle of the last century,

and, indeed, at the present time that

indeed,

is,

it

houses

best

of decoration

thirty years ago, that

vulgar, for

them

it

will

England.

the taste of the Americans

is

be proved by working for and with

that they are a people

possessing individuality

and refinement, and the keenest and most sympathetic appreciation

for

the

beautiful,

feverish eagerness to learn

all

and, indeed, show a that

is

to

be

known

of good design when they are once convinced that



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they are

the hands of an able teacher

in

m

appreciation

finds

homes

ha\e been erected

that

United

States

Chicago,

expression

New York

many

the

and

this

beautiful

such parts of the

in

Boston,

Cleveland,

as

;

Philadelphia,

and California.

Furthermore, the Americans place their unreserved

and unbounded confidence to

do

work, and

their

in

the one

they chose

him unfettered and

lea\e

will

man

uninterrupted to carry out his efforts far more so than the English of to-day,

" decoratn e

so-called

(who the

in

exploits,"

"

rudiments of

more

be

artists

not only to

call in several

offer

suggestions

decoration),

on curio-hunting expeditions, or

start

should

will

probability are not e\en conversant with

all

elementary

himself

who

and

incongruous

will

(as

they

termed)

" bargain-hunting

together a

mass of the most

rightly

collect

and

but

irrelevant

objets

d''art^

with

an

ultimate result that his house resembles a bric-a-brac

shop more than a dwelling.

To

feel

oneself the

unreserved confidence to the effort,

artist,

is

possessor

of a

full

and

both refreshing and inspiring

and encourages him to exert

his every

with a result that his work represents the very

essence of his brain and knowledge, and nowhere this confidence so freely

As

we

have

bestowed

previously

is

as in Arherica.

asserted,

the

most

important ingredients of a tastefully treated room are



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proportion, colour and, abo\c tion as applied to the

The

misnomer.

in

Decora-

simplicity.

home

treatment of one's

theatre, or place

room

harmony and repose

should

be

people and objects for the

are essential, but

a

in

it,

suitable

and should ser\e

an

unbroken

and

e\

emploNcd

How

a

detail

is

the

instinctively is

so often

to hide these so-called lesser faults does not

remed)-

often

individual !

the

frame

with

en the o\ er-elaboration which

is

a

but

room

gaud)' finery and

lost

for

as a

association

antique the slightest incorrect

effect

background

effect.

women's gowns.

Through

felt,

a

of assembl)'.

the latter the aim should be brillianc) and

A

is

ht)use should be treated quite distinct

from the public building, In the former,

all,

so

rather

emphasises them

more.

so scintillating with cheap and that

dazzlingly elaborated

beauty of a piece of furniture

is

the

entirely



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CHAPTER

III.

COLOUR. HE

decorator, however

his

resources,

periences, to

that

volume

and

^

few

a

has

with

may

wide

his

only two

really

— form

be ex-

factors

and colour, and

particularly with reference to the

IS

it

latter

deal

however

large

remarks might be added

at the

to

this

same time, texture must not be

forgotten, as texture has an importance which follows closely is

on the

of colour, to which indeed

heels

it

allied.

In this age of mistaken fondness for

polished surfaces, not half

is

made of

reveals unsuspected effects

of warmth and beauty,

and gives an almost unconscious

individuality to a

rough old beam of oak or even an old Still,

the

brick wall.

form and colour are the leading

decorator's

that he

texture.

texture that catches the subtle glints of light

It is

and

enough

smooth and

command.

must produce

It

is

factors at

with these chiefly

his effects, create his illusions,

give apparent height to low walls, turn bareness into

comfort

and

artistic sense,

make

the

habitation

habitable

in

the

but for the accomplishment of satisfactory



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results every detail

of form and colour must be care-

fully studied.

A

scheme of colour, howe\er simple, demands

much thought and ensemble

a definite plan

of campaign, as the

exerything, and form and colour are just

is

instruments after

producing

in

all

Colour has been

a final result.

the Sunshine of Art^ for

called

to every passion and affection of the

and eve

and it

is

mind

it

lends aid

of the

influence, yet considering that the evidence is

superior to that of the ear, and that the science

art

of colours should be easier than that of sounds,

remarkable that music should have made so

more advance, while colour

is

yet

very

much

imperfectly

understood.

How

early

and to what extent colouring may

ha\e attained the easily

rank,

of

a science

is

a question not

answered, but there are wonderful proofs of the

great development in this

Egyptians attained

\

direction

which the early

one of the most notable being the

marvellously fresh and perfect paintings discovered on the walls of the royal mausoleum of the King of Thebes.

The

colours

yellow and

blue,

in

which they are painted are

and

it

is

quite obvious

red,

that they

were worked on a regular system which had for

its

basis

the colours of the rainbow, and the result a delicious

harmony. It

has been said by

many

that a combination of





and yellow

red, blue

disagreeable and gaudy, but

is

the writer a\ers that bright colours are not necessarily

gaudy.

It is

when

due regard to

ment they Take, in

bright colours are combined without

their relati\e quantities, or the arrange-

require that they appear

for instance, the multiplicity

gaudy and

of colours one

the beautiful old needlework of the

early i8th centuries which, in

glaring.

i

finds

6th, 17th and

most instances, are bright,

but, nexertheless, gi\e a peculiarly pleasing and grati-

fvino effect to the enscnihlc. the pictures of the early Italian masters, for

In

example, the same dominant use of the primary colours

may

be remarked.

with

Green

is

many

decorators, but

a colour

that the practice of

green

a

in

which to-day it

is

much

in

favour

must here be remarked

introducing

scheme of decoration

great is

quantities of

an error and to

be avoided.

Although

It

may sometimes

mass, as for instance

but

may

carpet,

in a

people have become

artificial,

of proof to show taste in colour

in

a large

must not dominate,

scheme of decoration when

in

seen

it

in

only be used as a ground for other colours.

Green only abounds

preferred

be allowable

^

all

a

and there

that, in those

is

abundance

bygone periods when

was pure, the three primaries were always

one of the best examples of early heraldry,

which

is

this

may

be

entirely carried out



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in

red, yellow

of sold and

With

and blue, with the addition, of course,

sil\ er.

regard to the beauty of colours individually,

the colours which tend towards light have their greatest

beauty

their brighter

in

tints,

and those which tend

towards shade are most beautiful

of fulness

thus, red

;

is

in their

at its greatest

greater depth

beauty when of

intermediate depth or somewhat inclined to light, whilst blue

is

most beautiful when deep and

rich.

Fine tones of red break and diffuse with white

with peculiar beauty and charm, and the same can be said

of

its

combination with the colour of old English

oak panelling, whilst green has not

this quality,

and

blue only in the fine old rich shades of the Venetian

looms of the

Middle Ages, which, sad to say,

are

almost unobtainable and inimitable. Blue, and blue alone, possesses entirely the quality technically

called

coldness

communicates

addition,

colours with which

it

is

this

colouring,

in

property

compounded

to

scheme

is

entirely

its

influence

cold and

shadowy

rather a sedate than a living colour, in a

of

brilliancy,

other

deadening and inclining to melancholy.

relations in It

its

all

in

or blended, and

the moral expression of effects of blue, or

on the temperament, partake of

and,

decoration,

and

even

when

at night usually loses

and appears black.

in its

its

greatest

colour almost



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Both tendency

a

"

America and

in

neutral "

towards colours

the

schemes

in

termed

are

of decoration,

schemes

are,

in

but

reality,

colour altogether, and the author looks

real

upon them

of what

use

practically in every case these

devoid of

Europe there has been

in

who

by those

as makeshifts

do? not under-

stand or appreciate the meaning of colour, for there a real meaning

colour or a combination of colour.

in a

Everyone with an this

remark and the

who

those

and

result of a fine colour

can create

it

is

these few

colours, and as

sense will

artistic

and

are few

it

they are like great musicians,

fact,

who

far

appreciate

scheme, but

between

;

in

bom, not made, primary

will cling to the great

not resort to the use of such mixtures

mauve, heliotrope, maroon, putty and the

pastel shades, for

attractive

is

although they

novelty,

they

will

may

possess a certain

found

be

so-called

the

in

end

tiresome and unsatisfying.

The colour

is

greatest

secret,

however,

in

the

use

of

to obtain an effect which gives the highest

sense of pleasure and contentment, whether

it

be

in a

cottage or a palace, but at the same time, in such a

way, that apart from the creation of it

should not be unduly remarked

^ould

be

satisfied,

;

this

atmosphere,

in short,

one's eye

without being impressed with any

note of aÂť2ressive domination.



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—

A

Table showing the date of the different periods of Arcliitec-

ture and Decoration, with the names of the buildings and examples

most

characteristic

bTVLK

of the time

:



S

1

-1

1,1



KHc;\ AN

JACOBEAN Itiigo

Charles

I.,

11

ii,\ ri-:

1625-1649

NOIKS, UUI1.1M\(IS AMI

rl.ACl.s

Banqueting House, Whitehall.

yom-!,

York

Archittcl

Stairs.

Raynham

Inigo "foncs Jitd 1651.

Commonwealth, 1

Charles

649- 1660

1660-1684

11,,

Park, Norfolk,

Thorpe

Hall, Northamptonshire.

Greenwich

Palace.

Cathedral (commenced). Wren, ArchitfCt.

St. Paul's

Chatsworth, Derbyshire.

James

11

.

16S4-1688

Combe Abbey, Warwickshire. Melton Constable, Norfolk.

Grin/mg

William and Marv,

Hampton Court

Greenwich Hospital

Carver

Anne, 1702-1714

St. Paul's (finished).

Castle

GEORGIAN

(principal parts).

1688-1702

Gibbons

George

I.,

1714-1727

Howard, Yorkshire

Blenheim House.

Moor

Park, Hertfordshire.

IVren died 1723.

George

11.,

1727- 760

Woburn Abbey,

Bedfordshire.

Kent, Architect, died 1748.

Chippendale published first -work, 1754. Gibbs, Architect, died 1754.

George

III.,

1760-1820

Admiralty Office.

Lansdowne House.

House

in St. James' Square.

Examples of work by Somerset House.

George IV.,

1

820-1 830

the Bros.

Adams.

Chambers, Architect.











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