The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-03
ROUND ABOUT GOTHAM.
LATEST METROPOLITAN FADS
AND FANCiES.

A Cb,ptcr ON Scrccns-Thcir Different
s,.ie.. and the Craze with whirh They
Are CuItivs,cd-rrctiy Fiuny uair-rhe
Fashionable Couture.
NV YORK. November Especial
Cofrespondence. Siudio receptions
and studio weddings have something to
do with the high honor In which IS
held the screen. Since artists Ike
Iouis Tiffany and William NJ. Chase
and lie Grand Cannon have taken to
throwing open their VOL kshops. and
fully haired lasses have made their
promises 10 love and honor in the COM
many of palcstes and csnyasscs. we have
learned TO appreciate the decorative,
the artistic and the picturesque-thc
porticrc, the easel and the screen. ASH
any young matron just settling her
lares and penates If YOU shall get her
"a bit OF royal Worcester or a fine
bronze. and the chances are three IN
four that she will tell you she prefers
a screen. Question further what sort
of a screen will be welcome, and the
answer will depend upon which she
makes her pet room.
1t was.a screen for the hall which
was sent by Mrs. Henry Barclay, TO q
bride who was married in gay little
Ofapyer n few weeks. The brides
father had given her an artistically
finished cottage. and the screen was de-
signed to cut of partially the inglenook
with its blazing fire and cushioned seats
from the broad stair case rising TO one
side.
The hall is panelled in dark oak. and
the screen is Of illuminated leather in
four panels nearly seven feet high. The
designs are conventional, and are
painted in browns. tans and bronzes.
with touches Of dull red 20 correspond
with the rugs and pOriiercs, the eifec,
being very rich. though the cost would.
not compare win that Of the leather
screen which Mrs. Whitney has in. tho
dininv-room OF her Ii'ty-scventh street
mansion.
Mrs. Whitue = screen il probably one
OF the finest examples Of It's sort TO BE-
found IN the country. IL was made 10
order from piece Of genuine old lllu-
minated leather Of past and gone C, n
tury. Old figure paintings of the same
era. showing men and women IN quaint
costumes. are set Ia the leaves. aud the
borders are relief work quite elaborate
III design.
LISA favorite device Of artists to
take old canvasses that they have ac-
cumuiated IN their wa> derings and SET
them in lieu of hanging IN The panels OF
leather screens. Sometimes the PANT |
ings thus utilized are comparatively
valueess. and sometimes they ar3 Of
unique interest. as m the case With
three historical compositions by An
gelica Kaufman. which saw so framed
at a loan exhibition last summer IN the
studio Of Kate peTugini, VINO Is n !
daughter of Charles Dickens. and one
of the prominent painters IN London.
Most leather screens are patterned |
after Venetian or Flemish models. The |
Flemish desigDsare in raised work. aud |
are exquisitely finished IN details.
though the colcring, always bright.
sometimes approaches the border line |
Of the glaring. Flemish screens stand |
sometimes eight feet high. and a good
reproduction of the work OF tie old |
leather masters costs from 500 TO $500. |
Bona fide antiques come even higher.
Such screens are suitable only Tor large /
and imposing rooms. Venetian screens
are equally rich. and often more refined.
The Venetian work is in low relief in
gold and silver, and the back ground
is hand fooled. Mrs. Wauamaker
brought from Europe recently a screen
of this order. In design 1t was modelled
on a piece of OLD lace. aud every thread
was brought out with wonderful iielty
in the cObwebby tracery of gold aud
silver lines. 1t was screen If three
leaves only. but such unique piece Of
work could not be bought in open mar
ket for less than $500. Il was IN the
last century that the screen reached the
zenith of its popularity. and the charm
ing and smiliugly-pretty. the fiivO-
lousy perfect Vatican and boucher
designs, are still the daintiest for parlor
or boudOir. These designs are the de
signs par ercelI'Rcc for painted screens,
and tapestry the material to which they
take most kindly. The Louis ANl.
screen has rarely more than three
leaves. 1t is of irregular shape, the
middle Leaf towering above the other
Two and curvipg down TO meet the slop-
iHg tops Of its mates OH either side. Il
is always set IN a heavy gilt frame.
Mrs. ID. o. Mills. Jr.. owns a very beau
uful one Ii stands in her drawing
room beside Louis XVI. couch and cut
ting off the view of the company from
the two who may be tefe Il fete in the
corner. The pannels are of Ambusson
tapestry, showing powdered and pan
Tered ladies and bowling cavaliers. The
tapestry does not reach in either panel
to the top of the frame. Above 1t Is set
a piece of thick plate glass. through
which one can watch. unseen. the com
IHgs and goings of DANES and damsels.
Mrs. George Gould has LOUIS XVI.
screen for her boudOir. The top OF II
is nearly straight, aud it has no glass
panels. The frame Is unusually heavy
for work of that period. ana ii has four
rather small panels. The tapestry is
exquisite. showing sunshiny designs of
nymphs and sheep herdresses dancing
On smooth shayen gTeensward.
Modern tapestry screens are favoritel
in drawing rooms. and are
bitten as interesting as fine paintings
Nng on the walls. The designs. in
Re, a. are not inffequenly by artists
famous over half the world. Many Of
hem come from Paris. and people like
Albeit. ike HOu-htoD and Nine. Chen
lebiere. who are known 10 all fan ;
are beginning 20 turn thel, ;
attention to screens Tapestry paint .
ng is not essentially difficult. especially >
q those who understand water colofs.
md there are coming To be women il (
Yearly every large city who make a 4,
wing teaching II toamateurs. II must
Il course be done on the canvas made ,
or the purpose. and with the especially !
prepared dyes that are fixed 10y steam 4
ng. and thus rendered indelible.
The fashionable New York girl who
devotes her leisure to 1t. 9
will turn out "a three-iold screen with a
iassical figure for the middle panel =
nd low toned landscape or reeds :
I'D grass carved out III dull colofs on =
ither side. The result is often pleas =
ng. ana forms more acceptable add
ion TO a bachelor apartment at Christ
ias than innumerablScGshions or cal /;
ndars. !