FINE ARTS.
EXHIBITION OF DECORATIVE ART.
THE specimens of decorative art submitted to the Royal Commission were opened to public view on Monday. The great room of the Sr. James's Bazaar, at the corner of King S:reet, is hung round with examples of stained glass, arabesque painting, wood-carvisg, inlaid flooring, and metal-work ; and a few miscellaneous articles of manufac- ture are placed on and about the stall case.
The display is disappointing, even to moderate expectations: little taste and less talent is shown in the designs; while the amount of exe- cutive skill is small, and not of a high order. This is partly accounted for by the circumstance that some of the first decorative artists have not thought it worth while to compete. Whatever may have been their reasons for withholding specimens, it is to be :egretted that the first call of the country on the ability of our artisans should have been so feebly responded to.*
Of Wood-Carving, the most beautiful piece of workmanship is a chimney-piece of fruit and flowers, in the style of GRINLING GIBBONS, at the head of the staircase : it is by ROGERS, the first artist in his line, but who contributes nothing in the Gothic style ; so that his name does not appear in the catalogue as a carver. The best specimens of Gothic are by provincial workmen—Wissisat 01.1.Err and WILLIAM FREE- MAN junior of Norwich, JOHN WOLSTENHOLME of York, HENRY RING- HAM of Ipswich, and JAMES ItaarreE of Cambridge; to whom the cathedrals have been schools of Gothic ornament. The designs for doors by JOHN THOMAS, COLLING and VINCENT, WILLIAM THOMAS, and SAMUEL PRATT junior, are the best ; Ian the execution of the specimens of these Landon artists is not commensurately good. In Stained Glass, the talent of WILLEMENT, who is acknowledged to be at the head of this branch of decoration, is greatly missed. The de- signs for painted windows by WILLIAM WARRINGTON, JAMES WARRING- TON, and J. A. GIBBS, struck us as the most beautiful ; arid the colours of the glass in the specimens of the two latter are rich and bright. The most btilliant in effect is the compartment of a window by TH031AS WILIASHURST ; those by SPENCE and Co., J. G. CRACE, aud EDWARD BAILLIE, also rank among the best examples of glass-painting in the room. The introduction of figures in the majority of instances shows an erroneous view of the purpose of painted windows, though one that is sanctioned by Custom: they are not intended to he transparent pic- tures, but to enrich and mellow the coup of Gothic interiors ; sub- stituting a "dim religious light" for the colourless glare of a white glass window. Kaleidoscopical patterns, where the design is subsidiary to the effect, produced by a combinati ,n of rich hues that are prevented from dazzling by their harmonious brilliancy, are at once the most attractive and agreeable to the eye.
In Arabesque Painting, there are only two or three proficients. Messrs.
CHACE'S specimens are superb, though overcharged with an accumula- tion of work. Those of LEONARD WILLIAM COLLMAN are masterly in design and execution, but of the German school, and very dull and heavy in colour. In point of execution, those of JOHN GOODISON, (I46,) are admirable for sharpness and clearness of painting and har- mony of colour : his facility is shown by a frankness and certainty of touch. The "Specimen of Encaustic Painting," by FREDERICK SANG, (155,) is remarkable for its medley of styles, puerile taste, and feeble, niggling execution, better adapted to missal-painting than interior de- coration. We should not have noticed this elaborate piece of bad work- manship, but that SANG is the lucky German who, it is said, has been naturalized by act of Parliament for the express purpose of enabling him to share in the national encouragement intended to develop the talent of British artists. Had he possessed consummate taste and skill in deco- rative art, there would have been some excuse for this especial act of favour ; but inasmuch as this specimen shows him to be ignorant of the true character of Gothic ornatnent, and any thing but a master of his craft, we trust his handiwork will be confined to the mansions of his patrons, and not he allowed to disfigure the New Houses of Parliament. For Ornamental Pavements, the most elaborate design is that by OWEN JONES; embracing the whole principal floor of the building, of which he gives a ground plan showing the effect of the paving: it is rather Moorish than Gothic in style; but the material proposed by him, tes- serm manufactured by PROSSER'S patent, (139,) is the most beautiful and durable of any exhibited. The specimens of tesselated pavement by A. SINGER aud Co. are clumsily joined, dingy and smeary in hue, and the designs are not in good taste : some of the patterns have a semblance of relief, giving the floor an apsearance of inequality of surface ; and coats of arms are improperly introduced. We echo the axiom of Mr. OWEN JONES, that no emblems worthy to be honoured should be trodden upon. Of the encaustic tiles, those by MINTON and Co., in blue and red, (1150 are the most beautiful in hue, texture, and design: the glazed tiles of CHAMBERLAIN and Co. are vulgar, and only fit for a scullery. The specimens of Mosaic pavement composed of Derbyshire and Staffordshire marbles, by WILLIAM MILNES, (124,) are beautiful for the variety of hues and veinings: but the patterns are inadmissible. Of the inl tid wood-flooring, the Parquetaye of Messrs. AUSTIN and RAMMELL (138) is the most novel and beautiful; and it has the recommendations of durability and economy : the wood is cut * Since the above was in type, we have been informed, on good authority, that there are imrances of workmen being deterred from competing through fear of offending their masters and losing a regular employment. Tuis would further account for the lack of executive Aid, in the departments of wood- carving and decorative painting especially. We trust that any unfair attempts of traders to appropriate to themselves the credit and profit of others' ability Will be frustra:ed by the Commissioners. The operatme, who works un- assisted to produce a specimen of his handicraft in the scanty hours of leisure, has little chance in an exhinitiou against the capitalist, who can command the combined skill of several artists. But expert workmen are wanted, not mere men of business. By simply requiring the candidates to execute a piece of work on the spot, their real qualifications would be brought to the test.
transversely to the fibre, which not only makes the resistance greater, but develops a new kind of graining, and renders the plainest woods ornamental. The patterns are unsuitable, but the effect of colour is rich.
The Metal Work is of the commonest kind, and quite unworthy of notice, though BRAMAIIS are among the exhibiters: whatever skill our casters may possess, the designers seem wanting in taste and invention.
From this display we conclude that the architect must be his own de- signer of the decorative details, and only rely upon the artificers to ex- ecute the work from patterns prepared under his direction.
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