The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-03-18

HAND WORN ~. MACHTNE WORE
| Amultitude Of books on art have been pub
lishod In England during tho last few years. In
| most Of which IL shown decided tendency
| to take Sides with the pioneer OF tho movo-
ment. Mr.. Ruskin. against certain elements OF
| modern civilization. such az factories steam
| engines. and machinery The fight against
these obnoxious agencies is no longer waged
with tho bitterness OF despair. The combatants
arc no far sure OF themselves that they can
| take time to inform bystanders OF the nature OF
| the quarrel. They doubt whether society is
| benefited blythe huge system Of monopolles
| which controls all kinds OF commercial and
manufacturing work In all countries. They
| arc sure that machine work Is seldom better or
| cheaper in tho long run than good hand work.
| They know that whom tho machine passes from
under the active control OF the workman-whe
| II ceases to be his tool and he becomes its at
tendant-there is no possibility Of any artistic
merit In It's work; and they attribute to famil-
| iarity with inartistic machine work the want
Of appreciation OF artistic qualities. when they
| do exist In works Of high art. that IL almost
| universal In manufacturing countries.
Under other economical conditions the work.
man is rarely satisfied with doing n sound
piece Of work. He takes pains to testify his
pleasure In 1t by adding some grace Of orna-
ment. DR.. Christopher Dresser points out this
In his work on japan. one Of the principal art
books published during the past year In Eng
land. He testiies to the advantages that result
| from the absence OF large factories and
| machinery In that country. Division Of labor
| IL almost unknown. and the potter who makes
/ his wares entirely with:his own hands. throw
ing the clay. firing It, and decorating the object
has a pride In thom which no other could
| have. Il have Viewed" he says. with
| no little interest. the satisfaction depicted
| on the countenance OF manufacturer OF
| this kind when signing tho completed work.
There Is as much pride In Japan manifested
| by the maker In completing little cup.
lacquer box. a sheet OF leather paper. or oven
pair Of chop sticks. II tho work be but excellent
| as there is In one OF our great painters con-
templating an historical painting and by per-
| feet work any handcraftsman in Japan may at
| tain TO the celebrity enjoyed here by Land
seer. Turner. or Burne Jones. and the fame
| supplies q stimulus for the production Of work
still more excellent" This desire to beautify
good work is not confined to the Japanese. One
| cannot find even in this country. a model
| maker or q tool maker who does not spend
| much time In giving some degree OF grace to
! his work.
Now, there Is nothing more than this in Deco
| rative art: Whether 1t is applied to q spoon or
q State Capitol it is a voluntary addition Of
beauty to good workmanship. But whom the
| work is done entirely by machinery. or when
| q man or woman is no moro than part OF n
machine for producing some object Of which he
| or she sees neither the beginning nor tho end
| there Is no chance OF that object receiving any
! uncovenanted graces. In such cases the work
| cannot be work Of art In any sense.
Miss Lucy Crane. sstcr OF Walter Crane. the
popular illustrator OF children's books. was the
| author OF q rather remarkable little book Art
and the Formation OF Taste" which has been
| brought out some months after her death. In
| 1t she takes strong grounds In favor OF a
| return. wherever practicable to hand work In
preference to machine work. She appreciates
the difficulty which would be caused by the
high price Of hand work. But she says that
| we want such things as painted china. cary
| ings and the like. we should be willing 70 pay
| for them: and we should consent not to have
them at all rather than take limitations In ma
chine work-"just as, rather than wear sham
jewclry we would go without it altogether"
And she quotes approvingly. Mr.. William Nor
ris when he says that tho public have no right to
pay q price for piece Of goods that will help
TO trouble one man. to ruin another. and to
starve Q third" But perhaps in this matter
she is wrong in putting the blame on the pub
| lie. The dealers and manufacturers and work.
| men are the parties TO blame. for they should
| not do bad work nor sell for starvation prices.
In speaking OF the deterioration In taste and
skill brought about in those trades that still
depend on hand work by the dominance OF
machinery in most manufactures. che shows
| that within the present century English
silverwaro was Of more slender and ele-
giant make than now. and more delicatcly
and appropriately chased. The pressing
OF glass In moulds instead OF blowing it into
shape is another example which she gives
Of modern bad taste; but she finds her most
striking instance Of the Same thing in adcscrip-
ton in an American magazine Of atoiiet water
Jug. 1t is good enough to quote: More original
and decidedly American In suggestion and de-
sign" says this American magazine. is a
toilet called the Bullion In a fine satiny-
glazed semi-china: the wide -mouthed ever
with mock and handle powdered in gold seems
to issue from a bag. shirrcd and tied up with q
careessly- knottcd string; tho leather color OF
tho bag and tho scattered gold favor the con-
ceit OF tho pitcher issuing from O bag Of the
I precious motaL" 1t is no wonder that Miss
| Crane congrRtulates her readers on the fact
that this design Is American, not English. Bad
as English idoas sometimes are this. she
thinks, is u length to which they could scarcely
60. Her conclusion Is that the decoration Of
J workmanship is but tho expression OF mans
pleasure in successful Labor" and that where
there is no opportunity for u workman to ex
press his own individuality there can be M
good decorative art.
Mr.. William Norris. poet. artist and carpe
weaver in a lecture delivered in aid OF the SO
ciety for the Protection Of Ancient Buildings
takes astill more determined stand against ma
chine made art manufactures. -" Is 1t possible.
he asks. that civilization has determined t.
brutalizs the crafts of life by cutting them of
from the intellectual part Of us2" He believes
lint IN la not fa ,liatn ant hon hn
OF men will got to work trying to simplify lif'
on n new basis. when the organization OF iabo
will mean something else than tho struggle o
the strong to use. each one to his best advantag
the necessities and tho miseries Of tho weak.
He wants :" the democracy of art established