The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-09

MT, mortimer DcnpeS, mas tnlS week DTOuRHJ
himself into public notice again In what even
for him is a somewhat original fashion. To the
ordinary English public Mr.. Menpes. except as
the possessor OF name which is constantly APP
pearing In the papers. is perhaps as little
known as he is In the United States. But In
smart society he 10 familiar enough. His etch-
inRs his water colors and his work In general
would be more seriously considered and held In
higher estimation by his fellow artists were 1t
not for some Of the means by which he
and they have gained notoriety. A pupil
and at one time close friend Of James Mcneil
Whistler. he started In his public career with
the determination to better his masters In
structon in tho direction Of attractive eccen-
trcity. and from that time forward he has gone
steadily on In the direction OF pecuniary sue
cess. His cleverness Is undoubted. and a proof
OF it, II one be wanted. lies In the fact that he
has acted upon the principle that recldme.
without hard work and good work. amounts to
nothing
He was one ofthe first OF English artists to find
wealth OF suggestion not only In japanese
art but In japan itself. He was one OF the early
apostles Of the e one man show, and. taking
again hint from Whistler. he has made OF
these little periodical exhibitions OF his strik-
ing examples OF decorative ingenuity. The ar
rangement Of the exhibition rooms and the
very framing OF his sketches and pictures are
carried out on strikingIy original lines. "Vul-
carly ostentatous," say his fellow painters;
charmingly original" says society. and focks
to see. And as it is society who buys and not
the fellow-artists Mr.. Menpes is seemingly con-
tent
And now for his latest. He has been giving
q house warming, and yesterday such leaders
OF society as the Duchess OF Sutherland. the
Duchess Of st. Adams. Lady Cranbourne. Lady
Riddlesdale. together with such theatrical
celebrities as Ellen Terry and Mrs. Brown PotS
ter. admired the lovely rooms and passageS
and gathered together In the huge studio
which looks over Cudogan Gardens. The
scheme Of decoration which they came to see
is thoroughly Menpesan in its originality
He has gone to his beloved japan. not only for
his artistic inspiration. but for the craftsmen
themselves to carry 1t out Theie Is
practical side OF Mr.. Menpes's art. md during
his visit to Japan he was struck with
the fact that in that country one can oDtG.c the
services OF artist craftsmen for good deal loss
than the wage that is paid to the day laborer in
this country. Accordingly he engaged some
seventy Of them. and under his directions and
according to his ideas they have been working
for the better part OF a year In the decoration
OF his house. Metal workers. wood carvers.
embroiderers painters on porcelain and silk
weavers, each and every craft was represented
DS men WHOSE dhlll WAS bue icbuiS
OF generations. and very beautiful has been the
result
And yet" says Mr.. Menpes. they work for
a few pence day and live upon the heads and
tails OF fishes because they couldn't afford the
mi1dles" But the house Is no haphazard COL
lection OF curios and odds and ends OF Oriental
| decoration. One coherent scheme binds the
whole place into one harmonious whole. 1t Is
floral in it's idea and each room has for it's dec
orative motive one flower The drawing room.
! for instance. relies upon the neony for Its en-
tire scheme OF decoration; the studio on the
camellia the dining room on the cherry bios
som; the entrance halls, which are three in
number on the chrysanthemum. There is one
exception to the flower treatment. This Is
small morning room where the fish has been
taken as o decorating motive Fish dsport
themselves upon the panelled ceiling and upon
the walls; on tho carved doors. the handles OF
which are bronze fish. and 50 forth throughout
| the whole room.
P Itmay be objected OF course. that Mr.. Men,
| pes's house is in England and not In Japan
! and that 80 markedly styistic and extraneous
| a scheme OF decoration is out OF place. But
one is inclined to forego this criticism In view
| OF the infinite beauty OF the craftsmanship
| and the absolutely satisfying color scheme
which pervade the whole. This. OF course, is
| to be placed entirely to the credit OF Mr..
| Menpes himself. and shows that under all sur.
face eccentricites there is the true artist.
| H. r. C..