St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-20
High Taste in Hand i'm
neapoIfs Aesthetic Art.


The CRATE and mantel dealers of Mime
apolis are displaying new things IN
andirons. tenders and fire sets which illus
trate anew the old saying-''nothing new
under the sum-" For in the feudal days of
the dark ages. when men wore iron collars
about their necks their l0rdly masters ad-
mired the black circle and art was born.
And in this remote time thorough investi-
CATION of the homes and works. and peo-
pies of the past has revived public interest
in domestic art that depends for its effec-
tiveneSS solely on the one principal of form.
Millions of men have passed the strange
gates and curiously wrought balconies of
old European cities, with no thought to the
beauty which they displayed, because it
was not expressed in color. The weird
fances those ancient works I'M
fold. the wondrouS curves and
spirals that dead time has made, the grim
ning gritfinS that it brought forth from fiery
folges by defT hammering which modern
cunning has failed to equal-were as
though they were not for six long centu-
ries. only to find themselves, in our own
aesthetic day, brought into q prominence
that threatens to become a society rage. Z"
There is nothing that better indicates the
high standing of the domestic arts in Min
neapOliS than the kindly anu intelligent
manner in which handwrought iron has
been received here. For, i'll the total alb
Sence of color there remains only form to
admire. and it is great compliment to our
city that so many of her people appreciate
this most simple type of beauty. The Pc
culiar virtue of ''hand-wrOught" is the skill
required to produce it. The same forms
could be secured by casting much more
easily, but in the case of the cast article
the art becomes reduced to mere manufac-
ture. Looking at the cleverly welded joints
of the spiral-made fender. with the brilliant
glow in the CRATE behind, the idea of the
educated head and hand working
in complete unison is evolved, and the mind
traverses then. in curious half-suggtsted
theories, the whole question of the POSSIBLE
tiles of intelligent hand work. There is
more than the suggestion of mere beauty in
the sturdy 'front.' speaks of strength as
well. 1t does not possess the mellow color
of bronze. but its dead black surface gives
great dignity to the beautiful lines, and
strength is seen in every part. Hand
wrought has not yet been made to do duty
as simply ornamental-there are apparent
uses for every piece that has been made. In
surfaces are combined in an artistic whole;
in the tenders thin spirals are welded in
varied diamond and square figures. through
which the freight glOws. And the MALE
able stuff has been coiled and twisted into
candlesticks which are handsome, sombre
settings for the brillancy they hold.
And of the cost? Do not suppose that
because iron is the material its price is
cheap. For what work yet, in the whole
range of art, has not had its virtues height
ened by a lofty price attached-and is
hand-wrOught iron, with long. long his
tory. a season of oblivion. and phenix-
like temperance not sufficiently aristO-
cratic to merit much money? At any rate,
its price is far above any other material OF
like use. Mechanics make it, and great
brawny arms work long and hard over
brilliant blast fires before the result of their
labor reaches the delicate hands of my lady
fair. And is not the mantel man closely
akin to the plumber? And is not the
plumber-but refrain.