The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-11-13
FINE ARTS

FINE ARTS.
Interior Decoration: The Kalsomine PANT.
Mr.. Paris has been privately exhibiting some
panallings which he is painting TO ornament
saloon in Redburn Hall the seat of the Duke Of
ST. Adams. Each panel is bordered by light
framework of gliding, in the Louis Quatorze
style, enclosing three compartments; The prlnci-
pal or centre being filed by an upright land
scape, forming a background to a group oil
figures characteristic of some one county--as
Italy, France, India, &c. England being repre-
scented by very debonair gallant and lady in
fancy costume going out hawking-dpr0pos TO
the office of Hereditary Grand Falconer, held by
the noble owner Of the mansion; the small COM
parments above are filled with clusters of fruit
and flowers, and those below with rustic scenes
these last very pretty. The unity of design
of each panel would have been more perfect had
the natural productions and village life of the
respective countries been represented in con
junction with the courtly scenes forming the
principal picture. The paintings are executed
with the finish of ease-picures and the color
ing is clear and bright without being gaudy.-
The effect of the room, as seen in a miniature
model, is very cheerful and elegant, the pictures
not being crowded.
Decorative pictures, we are glad to find, are
gradually superseding paper hangings and blank
walls, and upholstery is making way for art nor
must ceilings be left in their naked wilderness.
In the instance of these designs of Mr.. Paris,
and the scenic pictures with which Stanfeld
has adorned the Saloons of Stafford House, the
paintings are principal in others they are sub
ordinate, being limited to pilasters, cornces and
borderings Of panels OF this latter class we
may mention superb example, in suite OF
drawing rooms, executed by Messrs. Grace for
Mr.. Cockerell, where the effect of the glow of
color in the arabesques-which are remarkable
for the variety of fanciful devices-is heighten-
ed by gliding, and the pictorial are made TO blend
with the architectural decorations /; the panels
being filled with silk hangings, forming ground
for cabinet pictures, and mirrors. The ceilings
are very richly ornamented, and the effect OF the
ensemble is sumpuous-
In all these decorations oil paint has been
used and though the gloss has been got rid OF
by 'hating" the vehicle is not well suited to
ornamental purposes II IS heavy, and must get
darker distemper, on the contrary, is too fimsy
and crude better material has long been
desiderated and this is now supplied by the new
Kalsomine paint, which is equally useful for or
binary house painting and for decorative pur-
poses indeed it has been used with beautiful
effect for easel-pctures. The vehicle is perfect
ly pure and coforlcss, is not injured by atmosphe
rc influence, is innocuous, and free from smell
II is soluble, and is made permanently by che
mical process applied subsequently, so that dur
clearly and instantaneously effaced and repaint-
ed, and when it is complete the whole is fixed at
once. The white paint which is used for walls and
wanscotting is remarkably brilliant, owing to its
purity alone: being dead white, and free from
gloss, it forms an excellent ground for painting
colored designs, and contributes to give to the
hues that transparent freshness which is so beau
tiful characteristic of pictures painted, with
water colors. We have seen little landscape
painted with it, which had the glow and depth
Of oil combined with the purity Of transparency
of water color; and some groups of flowers,
painted in broad, free style, suitable for deco
ration, were remarkable for power as well as
daylight brightness. In addition to these rare
qualities, the kalsomine is cheap, washable and
durable. We saw delicately painted picture
washed with soap and water without disturbing
a tint 1t works with great facility is as per-
fectly free from soil as from scent, and thought
keeps moist while being used in its soluble state,
dries almost instantly when rendered permanent
by the fixing solution, that room painted To-
day may be inhabited Tomorrow
The originator Of this invention is Miss Fan
NY Corbaux the artist; who has been assisted
by her co-patentees, Messrs. Salisbury and
Byrne, in perfecting il. The preparation of
pigments for easel-painting is not yet completed,
we understand, but the material for house-paint-
ing lis in use and its effect may be seen al
Messrs Battam's in Oxford street; whose ele-
gantly designed shop-front, in the Elizabethan
STYLE attracts the admiration of the passenger
at the corner of Berners-street
The Duke Of 81. Atbans: Decorative Art.
II has been announced, under a loud flourish
of trumpes, that Mr. Paris has prepared Sc
ries of paintings as embellishments to the bou-
doir Of the duchess and the halls of the Duke of
ST. Adams. We have seen these designs, and
find in them much to admire and much to la
ment. We admire the unity Of tone that ii is
intended to maintain through an apartment, or
suite of apartmeats-the painter choosing the
color of the walls and roof, the tdpis for the
floor, and the ,draperies of the windows. There
is nakedness and poverty, however, in the
absence of edgings, and mouldings, and cornice,
for which the slight headings that divide the
wall into pannels do not atone. The next pro-
cess is Of very doubtful good. Mr.. Paris hopes
that by setting the fashion of paintings suited to
the walls, he will create new demand for de-
corative ART and new employment for decorative
artists. We fear that he will Danish pictures
and starve painters of any degree Of merit be-
yond mere medlocrity. To the pannels already
described, Mr.. Paris, adarts slightly framed
planes of irregular form, in the fashion OF LOUIS
XIV, and on them depicted, in glowing coors,
a hawking scene, with portraits of the duke and
duchess-a fete in the manner of Watteau an
Italian landscape, with Pafiaelle and the Forne-
rna Swiss mountain home, a modern Greek
soldier among ancient ruins, &c DC. The Ell
feet of these pictures, harmonIzing with the
rooms, will be snowy and pleasing, and they APP
pear well adapted for the dinner and exhibition
rooms of hotels, taverns, confectioners, coffee
houses, &c. &C. but as superseding pictures Of
sterling value we dread this cheap and captivat-
ing adaptation and for the sake of art and artists,
exclam against such attempts TO degrade The
one to mere decoration, and the others TO house
painters.
THE DOOMED ADMINISTRATION.