The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-02-13

- @>AA&1 ~ Va lie saline as
for the lamp shade, then paste carefully
inches long. Join neatly and pull out top
and bottom with thumb and finger, lust
as with the lamp shade.
Candle shades are very pretty made Of
white, decorated with some simple flower
like the morning glory or daisy. Colored
shades. however, are much the vogue and
are toned to suit the general table decora-
ton.
The woman who gives little dinners and
can make her own candle shades has
an economical way of varying the table
aecorations which not only saves her
money, put adds greatly to her enjoyment
and that of her aesthetic friends.
' y >
That little matter of hanging a picture
Is apparently just the simplest affair un-
aer the sun, and yet in making a pretty
nome II is really one of the most i'm
p%ortant.
can hang a picture, conf
uentiy remarks the woman whose own
hares ana enate are always badly ar
ranged. Why all you rave to do is 20
uri'e a nail, twist a bit If wire. and
mere you are in a twinkling.'' Yes. we
~ KNOW this woman. And we all know,
ih~oreover' Just what her walls look like
when her picture hanging is finished.
ctuFes aad so much to an apartment
no marter what its size. its color, or its
purpose may be- They give a CHEEKY
noHenke AR to the most unpretentious
reom, which would seem meagre and
empty without them.
Naturally, the first consideration is the
picture Itself. There may be maids and
nratrons who buy their picture to suit
the wall paper and the color of the room,
but such a bargain as this cries out
against good sense and educated taste.
Happily, a woman who does So IN this
line is a scarce article. After the pic
ture itself comes the frame. and after
the frame, last, but not least, the hang
ing.
About its distance from the floor or
celling-it is said that the correct heigh
is five feet six inches from the floor to
the centre of the canvas. but absolutely
no rule can be laid down in this p~articu-
lar. So depends upon the charac-
ter of the room, the character of the
picture itself, its size and shape. and
the number of others upon the walls. In
this all artists agree.
The best plan is unquestionably that
of studying carefully the apartment with
the pieces to be suspended and then
choosing the position on the wall which
IS most pleasing to the eye. In this
connection it might be added that pic
lures are always more attractive when
arranged fatty against the wall.
An unsteady fitting affair is always
hard to see. 1t strains the eyes of the
observer, and is, moreover, trying to
ones nerves. To remedy a tendency to
tilt there is the simple expedient of using
two cords instead of one, each hanging
from a nail of its own. There are fiat
chains to be had especially for this pur-
pose. but it is only in case of large pic
lures that they produce a pleasing eff
feet.
1t is a great mistake to thrust pic
lures, be they paintings. e~ngravings, or
only photographs prettily framed, into
rooms to which they are unsuitable. And
yet how often we see it done! A hunt
ing scene, which would show to great
advantage in the hall or billiard room,
is suspended in a corner of the reception
room. In the dining room hangs an en-
craving which is by far more fitting for
the bondoir. Another mistake is that of
grouping together works of art which
would appear to better advantage if
some little space were made between
them. These points seem trihing when
written. down. but In reality they are
just what count in hanging pictures well
and prettily.
Color being a property of light, the di-
rection tfcHhich light comes to a picture,
together with the quantity and quality of
that light is the most important of all
considerations. The best way to discover
the proper light is to shift your
pictures around and Judge by the effects
produced whether or not you have chosen
the proper spot. A picture sombre in
tone needs light upon it, and should never
be RELOCATED to a dark corner. Hang your
largest first. The little ones are much
more easy to provide for. Between two
windows place those with light back
gounds. As a general thing this will be
found. the proper position, since they will
stand out prominently because of their
dark surroundings.
In recesses and alcoves place little pic
lures. As a general thing the large ones
look decidedly out of place. If your water
colors are framed in white and your oil
paintings in gilt do not hans them on the
same wall. Nor do the white margins on
engravings and etchings look we'll when
close to oils. A good idea is to endeavor to
put your picture in the same light in which
it was painted. A little thought and
study will tell you what that was.
= y
The wall paper. too. comes into con-
sideration.
On a warm> colored wall paper. say
drab or maroon. your oil paintings will
lock best. The design of the paper should
be vague and should not be too assertive.
In many cases where the color of the wall
is beyond their control .the defect may be
remedied by suitable drapery.
And, in the case of your large and i'm
portant pictures being spoiled. so far rs
effect goes, by the wall paper, a screen or
curtain is just the thing. if it project be-
yond the frame and from a suitable back
ground.
Never have glass upon your oils. This
is a certain indication to artists and art
lovers, that you are not au fait con-
corning your subject. The glass always
reflects, more or, less, the face of the OBJ
server. and in this way the view of the
painting is interefered with.
Consider the shape of your pictures. In
the hall hang the upright ones. On the
stairway place them in rows of two. Let
them slope with the stairs and be so ar
ranged that they may be well seen, both
in ascending and descending The eve.