New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-21
THE FUNCTION OF ORNAMENT.
From The WaSh!n ,tOn star.

In using taste in the ornsmcntatlon Of dM'ins'
n room or wall one should bear In mnd wIat "rnI
ment Dresser sve, Us pice sd ar eTS is that
which slpeIaddod 10 utility renders me opIe,, o'
sseSp!aGs c .hrqsH Would Otherwise not 1t
dives TO that which 1t invests new charm. as cv' h
ceep csn Tn ,e said 10 be essential the
Of tie the application OF ornament - 2 r
S of ornament from the days Of the Greeks Is a
growth that higher form who,e oDJe.t Is 70 hc
feeling Of delight which the art.t has taken IN anc
.utjeet q his choice Medieval achiie,iIre ar ~
dressed Itself not only 10 the sense ana intcn@t ",
mcn. but sought first to tOuoh the morc spiritual
chords OF his being 70 excite the ympa h 81 has d.
owned It's parent. though even rs high authority as
R,lskin SAYS: " Everything then 10 ornamental ""0'
I,m, if imitation Is ornament then in truth he who
initiates best Is Ga 9 o.. uonter and the maker o. casts
snIerscdc the sculptor. What lie evdenuS tgnns !,
what is suggestive o. nature IS orhass fvn,scs
From IMPLYING nature ornament went on to cnibon.
ideas and emotions That !. why even b 5e old Wora
Comnonscnse requires that regard should be given i
to the inc rPV Of w IH %h' IS and Object
which ii represents a cia,s oi decoTS" P ,nihcr
Gn ha n iWnTo beHt Which !. Simplest al
fect.d. Frctwork in stone loses the solidly ana mas
veness ,,rbe 10 tone vet the cObveb like trccry OF
tho stone ceiling Of the Chapel Of Henry VII IN Wcs
minister Abbey has been highly praised u ,no neg
Ming labor oil the chisc to lave been robbed OF us
weight and density. suspended aloi, rs II by mag
n,u tm and airy secnrity of a cnl,web.1
All must indeed admire the skin Of the workman.
M one a c'a indsc Gcp been Ibd If is Weight aud
~ bt those attribnies should have been allowed 10
I'm Se. # !, cunning labor: and when that Is
Ia IN &c said
Th,r ornament which Is not what II prctnds TO he
IA. w l,',ro n,., n 4. cham stucco work
i nr1labiy the most frequently encountered sham. But
Il va an evil hour when stuccO invented. Tins
is how he bcwaled It's prevalence in England thirty
,..arl 400 " MOI only is plaster or cement used
H.. Ia ror Lric,i work Int II f. boldly en-
,VNoe CO.. roI'nns n,rapct. and vcrand. Lauser, in
pioye' io ~ nnt ,t ali I'm uncommon thing
P'"co VI id La unric mr. Cnriutltu shaft truuca.d
OF - .>e aa ~ tSch ~ conre vii. also he Of &c.
menu i cDnlp,c'etou to,,.o oo,o,od with ula.,er
Ihat mon ,,E ~, stonc when every orr.
n zen S1 Lance that il IS not stone house is not
can zen az r mr inside hbe small cites We arc
secii ~, ~ orn ho"cst i'm oar work Away with siirh
groW,ns NV -, ,Dnrk be honest
lrcIehce. ,iu, ". ,nnd +. .nott or sham For a few
J. nc SI'l"mS p,, III. n%or nino wool work Ii;Ius.
doi1 Gr , ',y rrrd oak or chestnut bui II remains
IQIhu ,noo n - deceived Fnr hcter Ia I'm We good
Ilc ana nv o ,rcaI sn n.,,.,rcd mai whnt.vcr
non P hr VI ,he wood has eau be- scen and admired
thun - cboll5 ~ anu w ~ :, t' -" p a.,
tOi PIES over It's naked D'ch oa WHAT Oou''c'o'' u
l.. ,, L., o, ,., 90, ,r,.
Wha'cDer 'g ' ,oT ." sees no nty in it, There is
no beauty III u " ~ uoe9 no ~, nanr,a tavo NIL
The great trouble ha1 Deen t' pfope n,Ve nnS s
conceived me pniPo't u, ,'r ,i,t W IN f,I,o
nc, To be seen ol ~ 81 man, liz orr r,,. a. y,
noufn they nav" Hlru a. "''N, , a ,,o" ia"H ,i W.
eN!Tvagant ~ possible. hen 'meS Nv mru o,e
tatcd. Tament - somc'tin. sl ,hu"su ". J.,
must render another object attlacuVc nov unw a,eil.
that IL ceases to be an Ornament 70 lIle ROOM De
comes work OF ART. ms uis'Ihfuoh II !, NJ. M "
ornament has caused more displays Of lack OF taste
thsn almost any other condition ,., H.,