The morning call., 1894-02-11
Beautiful Specimens at
the Exposition.
WAGNER'S ART WONDERS.
Grace of Form and Brilliancy of
Color Combined to Delight
Artistic Eyes.

varlatly sure to have among her choicest
treasures some bit of chinaware which is.
in her eyes. almost fetish.
From love of china TO china paint is
only step. and all our large cities, and
nearly all our towns of any preteDsiOns,
number among their various organizations
a more or less successful ceramic club.
In San Francisco we have club of this
kind, which has already gained for itself
an enviabls place in the estimation of the
community. 1t is composed of ladies, all
of whom are exceptionally clever with
brush and pencil and many of whom have
shown decided talent in the line of china
deco ration. Each year specimens of the
mem bers' work are exhibited to the gen.
eral public, and the crowds that flock to
the rooms where these receptions are held
prove that china painting Is an art which
is fully appreciated within our borders.
TO the large percentage of our popula-
ton to whom this art especially appeals
the display of fine china which is made at
our Midwinter Exposition will be of great
interest. and to our ceramic artists it will
be of material benefit since the close and
careful study of work so nearly perfect as
is much which is to be seen in the eX-
hibits cannot fail to raise the standard of
their own.
From Austria has come collection of
fine art pot ~. Hungarian china and Vi
emma porcelain. which viewed from
purely artistic standpoint is as exquisite as
il is from financial standpoint valuable.
The porcelain pictures, of which there
are seven, attract much attention, and TO
one who understands anything OF the diff
fculties of such work the results obtained
by the artist seem actually marvellous.
Two of the paintings, THE Christian
Martyr" after Delarocne. and the 'POr-
trait of an Old Woman after Balthazar
Dennsr, both by Professor Wagner, call
for especial notice.
Were they merely copies in oil they
would be wonderful because of their abso-
Lutte fidelity to their originals even In the
most minute details. but when one realizes
tn at they are painted on porcelain with
pigments, the colors Of which must be
viewed by the eye of faith while they are
being applied, tney indeed seem triumpbs
Of human skill. The effect of the moon
light on the ripping water and the beauti
full dead face of the martyr, the liquid
clearness aud depth of the water itself are
reproduced with exquisite sOftness and del
icacy of touch and expression.
The Portrait of an Old Woman" is
in its own way even more remarkable,
since the artist has brought out the fine
frostworE of wrinkles on the kindly
gray and black fur about the witheTed
neck, the clear crispness of the Swiss mus
lin folds around the head and the simmer
and luster of the silk kerchief which
forms the cap in a way which seems magl-
cal in view of the materials which are at
his command.
Some of the pictures are framed in Hun
garian china, decorated in the cloisonne
style, while others are surrounded by a
handsome border of Vienna porcelain in
different geomrtrical or conventional de-
signs, frightened with fiagree work of
ised gold.
One table is given up to an exhibit of
Lotus" china, which is the Zine chapel
ware" wrought into forms of which the
lotus flower is the inspiration. Every
useful or ornamental article which can
possibly be wrought out In this conception
beauties these shelves.
The prevailing color is the somewhat
dull pink Of the wide blossoms, against
which is artistIcally coDtrasted the deep
green of the large smooth leaves.
The Hungarian china, of rich cream or
ivory color. finds many admirers. The
openwork designs are especially attractive.
the motive being f1owery vines winding
about slight trellis work, the whole effect
being light and graceful in the extreme.
Two of the most brautiful specimens of
this style of work are large bowls in
which flower-pots are to be set. One of
these bowls is a wilderness of passion
flowers ana their graceful foliage. and the
other a most gracefully interGwined gar
land of pond-lilies. Iu both these speci-
mems the flowers are In half relief, giving
to them particularly pleasing effect.
Some OF this open-work ware is OF the
Moorish" style, the open work being of
geometrlcal designs in green and ivory
| outlined with dead-gold. and many Of the
| large vases have this Open-wOTk decoration
! for the standard and top, while the center
-. ab ,rrlr dna tod - sfeti do
signs One vase of this style is always
surrounded by group Of admirers. 1t is
| tall and graceful, and on its sides are pic
tured two gorgeous peacocks feeding their
| nestlings.
The pictures are not especially true to
| life, as the nests are placed in the forked
! branches of tail tree, and it is the male
birds who are performing the mother
| bros duties. But laying these prosaic
considerations aside, the vases are beaut-
full. The soft, prismatic-hued plumage of
the birds, the lace work of gold, which adds
its sheen to their graceful necks and
| breasts, the aTtistically managed foliage
| OF the boughs on which they are perched,
| all combine TO make these exhibits deserv-
ing Of the praise which they receive.
| Not as beautiful, perhaps, but far more
curious is the genuine Hungarian Csutora.
| which, being precious, has so far been
shown only to special people. This is
! modeled somewhat after the ordinary can
teen in form, but is of large size and finely
decorated with conveptional peacocks and
| centaureas. with q border of blue and
crimson and olive green which is quaint
and pleasing.
Much of this Hungarian ware shows the
| Jewel decoration, which is odd aud very
| peaslng to some, but heavy and some
what clumsy in the estimation of others.
One of the very loyelest specimens in this
portion of the exhibit is a small vase about
nine inches in height, which, although apt
to be overlooked bv the casual observer,
is simply wonderful exposition of wha:
can be done in fine cloisonne work.
The Royal Vienna ware is a porcelain
of the finest quality, and the samples
which are shown of the various articles
manufactured thereof are bewildering in
number and variety of form.
A rack OF dinner-plates, each of Ia
different design, with borders of most in
| tricately graceful patterns in gold,
platinum or briliant-hued enamels, is q
center of attraction to those who believe
In combining beauty and utility.
To ornamental plaques there seems TO
be no end, some of them being of man.
moth size embellished with floral decora-
tions. notably of the fleur de lis and car
| natjnn and single nOpnv which are treatad