Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-11
NcetiIeWOrk Screens.
IArt Anateur.I

Screens are very good pieces OF furniture for
the display OF embroidery, and may be treated
are w rafe Tosn ean
and worked ia crewels with large flowers
giant poppies crown imperlais, suntiowers
others stand upright in the panels. each
stiffeDed into fit arrangement standing, as 1t
were lat attention. aid so contriyed by bal
ance Of leaf and flower and bud, that each Will
be OF about the same we ght and FORM Some
dark edges will be required as framework il the
screen Itself does not supply IL. bands OF leather
with a tiny gilt pattern On them viii answer
A similar screen in which much art IS en-
ployed, yet which Is still simple, is made OF
leaves, two OF them being alike, worked in
crewels and SILK. At the foot is small dado OF
green linen about one root In height, on which
Is worked. On the first panel, primroses between
two lunches of daisies; above. on the I'M
bleached linen, rise to the height OF two and a
half feet three tall day-lilieS, their yellow
which. coming closer together as they reach
the Gado, bring all into harmony. On the mid
die panel SuDtioEer5 stand In the place of the
0ay-1llcs. and below. daffodtls and primroses
are worked on the green; The third panel is a
repetition OF the first. The space at the top OF
the screen Is left clear.
Panel screens OF a rather smaller size are
excellent subjects for fine embroidery. Gold
c0lored silk. satin, or brocatelie, is one OF the
best grounds for them, as this color has an
admirable quality OF harmoniZing other color
pun upon It, and also It is sure 70 look well in
any room, whatever may be the tone OF the
decoration. White flowers are beautiful on thiS
ground. row OF large white lilies standing
up on the panel. with "a few light branches OF
roses and carnations among their stems Is a
beautiful arrangement taken rron fourteenth
century picture. This also looks very well on a
pale blue ground; then there must be very little
pink ia the roses and Cornflowcr5 will be a
good substitute for the carnations.
peacock WITH bis tail displayed makes q
splendid panel for screen. He must be con-
7entionalized into an heraldic aspect, and even
then, when bis cOlorS are geDer8lzed TO the
feweSt he will tax the embroiderer's skill to
make him gorgeous enough. Cold color, black
brown, blue or green, will make him good
back ground. He looks we'll In q single panel
by himself, or In a three. leSved screen, with
peahenS right aud lett OF him: cocks and pneas-
ants VIII also make him good supporters.
II water birds are used they should be asso-
c1ated together. Swans are rather unwteldy
masses OF white, but cranes, haIningoe5, and
ducks Of different kinds work We'll. The water
and other surroundings must be indicated with
reticence. not attempting pictorial represen-
tatiOu, though the balance OF form and color
requires the same consideration as in pic
tuIe.
Another treatment OF pane. screens has a
Japanese inspiration, and each panel Is q kind
OF suggestive picture The more solid plants
grow up from the ground, or out Of very con-
yent1cDal water; higher up a bird flies across,
or peTches, and Is balanced by suggestion Of
cloud, flight OF distant birds, Or q projecting
spray or hanging branch OF lighter flowers.
THIS may be carried out on black brown or
deep blue satin, or, If a light ground be pre-
feTTed. on white SILK. or pale bun Or green
satin, working On these materials with 1lue
silks, and using gold twist and thread to
heighten the effect. Care should be taken not
10 follow Japanese models so closely as to pro-
woke comparison with that inimitabe hand-
Work, Or 10 sink into a SerViie imitation. and so
10 produce only coarse copy Hf the original.
japanese arrangements, especially In needle
work, have character OF uneXpectedneS5 and
apparept disorder that is q great snare TO the
unwary, who do not see that this artlessne5s is
perfection OF art, and produced By obeytng
not defy ing. the laws or SymnetTy, harmony
and proportion.
For screens that are to be lighter-looking,
smaller flowers are used, with care that the
framework OF the screen be not too heavy for
them. They look best IL a SORT OF trells parterI.
over the whole screen. or they may be used ia
.powdeIing-" or in small groups White satiu
with blue flowers; cream color. nun, or pale
pink, with carnations or small yellow or flesh
pink roses; pale blue with cornnowers Or white
f0Wers; gold-coior with mariyolds; various
kinds OF fruit, OF birds, are a few only OF the
suggestions that might be made for these choice
pieces OF furniture.
Classical figure subjects are also sometimes
used for screens and though the human figure
is not good subject for embroidery OF this
kind, It has now ana then been executed with
much success; chiefly In outline with happy
number OF lines aud amount OF detail to express
the figures an apt choice OF color. and judicious
heightentngs CT gold thread for girdieS and such
accessories Some terrible examples OF failures
also rise before the minds eye, and It should be
remembered that 70 fail La so lofty an attempt
as classical figure Is TO Tall very lar, and very
ANONYMOUSLY.
Being a movable and detached ornament, a
screen allows more liberty OF fancy and lndi-
vioual taste than anything else properly TO be
called furniture, but this fberty should not de-
generate into eccentricity. Thus, we do not
them; the eye tnIall1bly tires OF them before
long, and they become no better than stale
jokes. Originality does not mean doing some
thing queer or comic but discovering or bring
notice pf
Eanty, calling attention TO the grace, vigOr or
quaintneSS Of some rare or perhaps too common
object, or proving that some unusual c0mbina-
tiol OF colorS or some new application OF Orna.
fnent may crafty the eye.
Linen Or sllken fabrics are the best for panel
screens. Velvet is not very suitable, and WOOL
len materials seem little out or place, though
serge cloth has often been used with success.
SIX sheetlng Is often good In color and pleasant
TO work on, but 1t is disappointing In wear, and
work.
Smaller fire screens are very good subjects for
elaborate and careful embroidery. There is no
limit 10 the variety OF ornament that may be
adapted TO them. They are near the eye and
usually by their position claim attention that
In TOO many cases they do not deserve. The
lat stiff screen screwed to the chimney-plece Is
not often used with the kind OF decoration here
recommended. A movable panel Is better
form; so Is pole to which the banner Is hung
or standing frame 10 which 1t swings by the
upper edge. For these an heraldic device would
be very appropriate, the shield either entirely
Of stitches or with the blazon embroidered on
the applied SILK for the field. Crests. badges,
embleinS, devices, mo toes and all sorts OF me
di;eVal fancies may be sought out and fngen.
iously turned TO account for embroidery using
a little discretion In their placing and little
taste in their coloring.
If screen fastened to the chimney piece be
required, the prettiest are those old fashioned
ones that are formed by little curtain hang
Ing 10 the cr0SS-bar. This will DE too full to be
good subject for an elaborate device In en-
proidery good ones have been made Of the en-
Droldered end OF an Indian scarf and of pre-.
clOus pieces Of costly old stuffs, II you wish to
! enrich your material with needlework a diaDer
or repeated pattern that Will not be spoiled
| py hanging In folds will be good or s.pOW-
dering" OF little sprtgs or tiny boquets VIII look
very well On the hanging stuff.
znsuring Creditors Against Rad
Debts.
london Daily News
| Mt. John Bland sends deScrIptton reoaivad
| by MIN from MeSsrS. Kuhner IL Co., of Mar
| settles, or system OF guaranteeing trade debts
| Whlcn is In actual operation In that city.
! Messrs. Runner q Co. explain the system fn
| tnelr letter to Mr.. Bland as follows 80 NAV
| possibly interest you that there exists IN this
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rlsk OF commercial losses. VIZ, drafts are
| placeo "a forfait,' which means to discount
mem with bankers OF undoubted standing on