Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-11-23
HUBERT nERKOMERS IDEAL
HOME.
The Great Artist ms an Amateur Ne
chnnic.

cuunlcs
Mr.. Herkomer's present residence al
Bushey is modest house, contrived out
of two laborer's cottages. Its outward
aspect as it faces the road is commonplace.
The interior is remarkable for the rich
ness and beauty Of the wood-carviug with
which it is profusely decorated. This is
the handiwork of Mr.. Herkomcr and his
father, who have made nearly the whole
of the furniture. Old Mr.. Herk mer
has workshop i'll the garden, and ters
thoroughly into all his son s plans. For
years past he has devoted all the resources
of his exquisite skill to beautifying and
adoruing his son sabode.
At the back of the house are two or
three acres of ground. Several large and
substantial structures, more business like
than picturesque, are erected here. One
is temporary studio builtof wood, which
Mr.. Herkomer Mt present occupies. Adj
joining it is IN enormous wooden shed
on brick foundation, fitted up with n
complete set Of machinery of the newest
pattern, just imported from America, i'll
cluding twelve horsepower gas-engiuc,
circular saws, turning lathes-and, in
fact, every mechanical appliance necessa-
ry for transforming wood into building
materials. Farther on is lofty brick
building containing more machinery, a
blacksmiths forge and smithy, printing
and drying rooms-for Mr.. Herkomer
prints his own etchings and engravings-
a laboratory n designing room, and m
other large studio. Other sheds and out
buildings, all utilized rs workshops, are
scattered about the grounds, giving them
somewhat the aspect of IN undeveloped
building estate. Anything more strange
than the contrast between the quiet, un-
pretentious cottage as approached from
the road and the sight which meets the
eye at the rear of the premises cannot be
imagined.
AS stated, Mr.. Herkomer proposes to
build his house from beginning to end
with his own hands, assisted by his father
and an uncle who is also skilled in wood
carving. They are to be their own work
men, and in that capacity will, in turn,
follow every trade. Even bricklaying
will not be despised, and Mr.. Herkomer
points with glee to n rustic bridge over IL
pond in the garden as evidence Of his ca
pacity in that humble craft. True to his
instincts, he has endeavored with some
success to soften the inherent ugliness OF
bricks and mortar by picturesque de-
sign. In the smithy he is quite at home,
and the necessary ironwork will be forged
md wrought under his directions. Not
only will the doors and windows, tables
and chairs, fircplaces, and every kind OF
woodwork and decoration be completed
by amateur labor, but even table utensils
such as spoons and forks, cruets and salt,
cellars. come within the scope of the de.
A hon1xnp,n nn1 ,nocc,ra cilyn,
spoon, deliberately chased, has already
been executed by Mr. Herkomer in his
leisure moments as an earnest of his in.
tcntions-and, in fact, no kind of handi
craft seems beyond the compass of hi!
skill.
For the moment, however, anothc
scheme of kindred nature engrosscs hi
time and attention, and serves, MS he ex
plains, to get everything into full work
ing order for his grand project. lie j
erecting picturesque tower as a memo
rial to his mother near his native town il
Bavaria. The building, which stand
upon hill, will he quaint structure q
medieval Gothic, designed by himself
He proposes to use it MS summer res
dence and studio on his annual visit
abroad. Tho wood carving and dccorf
i've WoIh Will Dc lllOSt ClHDOTutt, anu III
now being executed over here by Nj
Herkomer, his father and uncle. BY ne,
spring he hopes that tho tower will L
completely finished, when lie intends t
set 10 work upon his house.
Meanwhile, he is completely absorbo
with the details of his undertaking
Museums, cathcdrals, churches and 9th,
art repositories ut home, on the continen
and in America have been ransacked {,
specimens of beautiful decorative d
signs in wood, stone or iron. Plast,
casts, Photographic sketches, and arch
tectural drawings abound in every noe
and corner Of his studios. He has dev
ted years TO the accumulation of artist
treasures, which will serve MS models
suggest ideas for the ornamentation of Il
ideal home, One would imagine, iud
ing from these elaborate preparation
from the workshops, the studios, and L
designing rooms, that Mr.. Herkomer h
embarked upon the work of Lifetime
yet he will tell you that all this is mere
undertaken as pleasant recreation. III
it does not interfere with his profession
engagements is evident from the numl
OF hours he devotes to them. 1t wor
even appear that his vast project is I
sufficient to satisfy his inexhaustibe
ergy, for he is about to open school
art, which he proposes to conduct on
original plan of his own.