The record-union., 1898-01-02

Hausmann, and Rue Washington.
| The decoration of the choir of St
faufs Cathedral, London, the first part
| or the enormous scheme intrusted to
SIR w. b. Richmond, R. A, is now fin
.shed. Having in mind the peculiar con-
cltlons of London atmosphere, he has
used mosaics instead of paint. But he
determined to avoid the modern pictori-
al mosaic, which is a professed imitation
Oh picture painting with all the limita-
tons that the translation into the other
medium imposes, and has reverted to
the Byzantine style and method In
MS treatment and choice of subjects he
has steered a middle course. between
niatter-of-fact realism and symbolical
conventions. 1t was determined also
10 employ only British workmen which
presented further difficulty; for those
Whom ne selected had first to be taught
the art, and the artist himself had to
make Independent Investigations in the
tones and colors and the effects of jux-
! .aposltlon In the materials employed and
the cement to attach them. The great
distance of the spaces from the eye, and
the accidental influences of all kinds of
AANSCSSlldlSu COilSldUC
tlon, and after the completion of the
hrst two panels he applied his tesserae
directly to the wall, instead of complet-
ing the composition in the studio ac-
cording to usual practice. In this way.
as the work proceeded, he was able to
watch it's effect, and Immediately rem
edy anything that seemed false or weak
or unduly prominent. The results mark
hiOb laval in oh,
rary art.
In the December number of the Mag
azlne OF Art is an interesting account
OF a school of art which within the last
live years has been added to the curricu-
luin of the great English Public School
OF Harrow. Boys on reaching the fourth
torn are obliged to make choice either
of music or of drawing as an extra study.
The classes in the art school are also
open to volunteers of all ages, and the
results, both in numbers and work,
have been very gratifying. But as Mr.
Spielmann, the writer of the article, OBJ
serves, Harrow Art School is not only
or, at least, not SO much-an institution
to teach boys to be artists; it is rather
to educate them to understand artists
finest and what is beautiful, and why it
is fine and beautiful. 1t teaches that
art Is not only a subject but that it is
refinement. and that so far as it is a
subject it teaches TO see and feel and
think and do. To be taught how to ap-
preciate art and nature this is
the aim and likely to be the achieve
ment." The pupils Of Harrow School are
drawn especially from the wealthy mid
die class, SO that this movement is di-
rected against the very center of Phil
istinism.
Librarian Young Of the Congressional
Library is arranging for an art depart
ment. There are in the library the ac-
cumulations of thirty years, under the
copyright law, and these include nearly
every important etching engraving,
half tone production, photogravure, and
drawing that has been published in the
United States, including a large num-
ber that were originally produced
abroad and afterward copyrighted here
There is not in this country" it has
been said, "such a magnificent assort-
ment, nor can there be found anywhere
else collection that so thoroughly rep
resents the progress of art in America
of the development of artistic methods
of reproduction throughout the world"