A R T.

ARTS AND CRAFTS AT THE NEW GALLERY. TICE exhibition of the Society of Arts and Crafts at the New Gallery is certainly an interesting collection of work. Moreover, it suggests many thoughts connected with contem- porary art. In the first place, how much better it would be if the capable technicians who cover the walls of picture exhibitions with painted canvases which are not pictures, em- ployed their skill in making beautiful things of daily use under the inspiration of some able designer. We could do with a great many less Academy and New Gallery pictures, and n great many more pieces of artistic handicraft. To paint a real picture, or to carve a real statue, is given to few people in a generation, but in the decorative arts there is

much more room for good work which does not reach the highest standard.

It seems a pity that a body of workers so intent on doing good work should be so much tied by fashion as is the case with a large number of the exhibitors here. That happy audacity of effect which is the charm of artistic work is too often wanting. In design, for instance, everywhere one is met by a peculiar sweeping curve, ending in a bulbous form, which seems to have its home in the competition pages of the Studio magazine. In colour, too, one sometimes longs to get away from the rather faded hues of Messrs. Morris and Co. The influence of William Morris on arts and crafts was, of course, immensely valuable; but if the movement is to have a continued exist- ence, it must not mind free development into new channels. The Morris tradition in design will not last for ever, and is already getting worn a little thin. The master was of all things individual, but his disciples seem timid of launching out into undiscovered fields. One thing should be respect- fully but firmly brought before a great many of the artists of the present exhibition, and that is that if they wish to use the human form, they should take the trouble to understand it a little better than the majority of them do at present. Many good designs are spoilt by the foolishness of the figures introduced in them. Of course, we do not mean for a moment to suggest that more realism is wanted. Nothing of the sort. But before you can make a good pattern out of such a complicated thing as the human body, and turn its movements and forms to your use, you must have a know- ledge of its structure.

Mr. Walter Crane is an offender in this particular. His frieze panel in coloured plaster, The Genius of Electricity Uniting the Quarters of the Globe (No. 44), is spoilt by the clumsiness of the forms of the figures. This is a pity, as the idea of the work is admirable, being the personification of forces which are at work in the modern world. Mr. Crane is in so many ways an admirable artist that one is very sorry to see such blots upon his work as the feet of the symbolical figures of " Australia " and " Africa." Throughout the figure work there is a want of fineness and subtlety, and one misses entirely that exquisite feeling for form such as is found in the decorative plaques of Roty.

Foremost among the few things here which show the appre. ciation of the human form is a beautiful work by Mr. R. Anning Bell, a coloured plaster relief called Music and Dancing (No. 104). To begin with, this work has the real feeling for colour ; that is to say, no one hue separates itself and stands out as a piece of strong colour, but a fine harmony pervades the whole. Peculiarly happy in effect is the deep brown filling the arches, as is the glitter of the gold on the dress of the central figure. This artist is usually at his best when working in a fanciful mood, and these graceful figures of young women do not fall below the beautiful things he has given us already.

Excellence of a very different kind is found in the furniture, not only designed, but made, by Mr. Sidney H. Barnsley.

The Oak Dresser (No. 142) is a delightful piece of fur- niture. Strong, sensible, and welt-proportioned, this work steers a true course, avoiding the affectation of simplicity which generally ends in clumsiness. The Music Cabinet (No. 159) by the same author shows a delicacy of treatment appropriate to its end. The mother-of-pearl inlaid in the black wood is of very happy effect. Two other pieces of furniture call for attention as possessing individuality ; these are the two Writing Cabinets (Nos. 176 and 235) designed by Mr. Ashbee and executed by the Guild of Handicraft. Although open to the charge of being rather clumsy in pro- portion, these pieces of furniture have excellent details. In the first, a very happy effect is produced by the contrast of the creamy white wood inside and the dull grey oak outside.

In the second, the inside yellow colour is carried to outside by a most ingenious device. The beautiful metal-work of the lock and handles is a pierced pattern. Instead of showing the dark mahogany through the piercings, there is a back- ground of yellow leather, which yellow joins on the colours of the outside and inside of the cabinet. In another piece of furniture in this room a startling and Jack-in-the-box effect was produced when a heavy dark cupboard was opened, as the interior was found to be painted a bright and hideous- scarlet. ltr. R. S. Lorimer has designed and executed a most delightful Oak Chest with a Margueterie Panel (No. 195). The panel. which represents a hunt, is full of humour, and the necessary limitations of the forms by the material have been used to express the idea admirably.

The lustre ware of Mr. de Morgan is best seen in the Vase (No. Ma), which is beautiful in colour, the effect of the iridescent glaze over the soft dove-coloured greys being most happy. This renowned maker of tiles is not seen to advantage in the large Panel in painted tiles (No. 413), in the central ball. The design is poor and the colour ugly ; but the Panel of glass tiles (No. 450) designed by Mr. G. P. Hutchinson and executed by Messrs. J. Powell and Sons, is beautiful. The quality of semi-opacity gives these tiles a peculiarly soft and pleasant effect, and the artistic perception of the beauties and irregularities of firing preserves that living quality so often absent from things which are made by an elaborate mechanical process.

The most noticeable thing among the embroideries is the Portiere (No. 53) executed by Messrs. M. Deacon and E. and F. Wright, and designed by Mr. H. Dearle. The colour and work are most beautiful, but one regrets the unfortunate effect of the pattern in which a large central scroll in the shape of two notes of interrogation spoils a work the execution of which is so fine.

Jewellery is to be found in cases, much of which is beautiful in its use of little-known stones set in an artistic way which would make a Bond Street shop tarn up its nose. Mr. H. Wilson's Gold Necklace (j, Case G in the West Gallery) is a beautiful piece of design. So also is the Neck- lace (No. 6) in Case H, among the jewellery made by Mr. and Mrs. Gaskin.

In this exhibition we can see what a much more beautiful metal silver is when it is hammered to a living surface than when it is flattened out to absolute smoothness by the common silversmith ; though it is to be feared that no self-respecting British householder and his butler would admit anything so beautiful into the pantry as the cream-jug, teapot, and ink- stand designed by Mr. A. S. Dixon, executed by Mr. J. Weston, and exhibited by the Birmingham Guild of Handicraft. These are to be found in the Case 0 in the West Gallery.

The South Gallery is entirely devoted to the work of the late William Morris, and consists largely of cartoons. Morris being a true craftsman, made diagrams to guide his workmen rather than elaborately finished drawings to be copied; hence these works are not of much interest to the untechnical. The things shown in this room are true representations of the art of the man,—the vigorous bat limited style of design and colour, and the comic attempt to draw human forms for church windows.

The enormous quantity of work shown at the New Gallery and the variety of things there render it quite impossible here to notice more than a small selection. Space does not allow of more than a mere mention of the beautiful book- bindings of Mr. Cobden-Sanderson, the wrought-iron screen of Messrs. Wilson and Nelson Dawson (No. 255), the lead sun-dial (No. 410a) of Mr. Troup, and the lead water-pipe (No. 410) of Mr. Schultz.

It is with pleasure that one records that the present exhibition contains a much more interesting body of work than did the last one. Those who hold the cause of art dear will wish every success to this Society. H. S.

P.S.--Those interested in artistic handicrafts may care to know that work such as has been noticed above is now per- manently on view in London. Mr. Fordbam has opened a show-room at 9 Madox Street, where work by many of the artists exhibiting at the New Gallery is to be seen.