The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-19
EOIEEfAKE UpEOODCARVING
SOME As a PASTINE, SOME As
A MEANS or LIVELIHOOD.

n II Pleasant Pursuft, IN spite o. BIis
tered Hsnds, but Year, Are Required
10 Master the Art - Carved Wood
Ornaments - Things to Undertake
| Just at present there IL a fad for wood.
carving. and women have dipped into that
difficult art with the same enthusiasm that
they carried into painting upon china once
upon q time and into the popular pyro-
graphy which has its multitude OF followers
| to-day.
When women 60 In for wood-carvins al
they know about the work Ia that Il Ia
beautiful When they come to take q
lesson they find out that wood-carvinR
is an exacting art and takes years to learn.
Only q superficial knowledge Of II can
be obtained In q school, and then pupil
must work from three to SIX years In work.
shops II she would attain any degree Of
perfection.
There is no modern school OF wood
carving. All the examples Of tho art and
all the rules for Its execution date hack
for centuries. Woodworking to-day is, with
very few exceptions. neither creative nor
spontaneous. 1t Is the following OF certain
set rules which all carvers understand and
follow with more or less exactness
OF course. there are ANAL ways in which
the individuality Of the carver may be
expressed: where wood-carving "a done with
regard for the quantity rather than the
quality OF the work turned out there Is
little individual taste In designing dis
played. In France and England the best
specimens Of wood-carving are being made
and the art has been carried 10 its highest
degree of modern perfection In these
countries.
.Women's work in wood -carving3' re-
peated an artist-carver with an indulgent
smile. well. the women make some very
pretty things. but they have no real ,tion
OF the amount Of work necessary to learn
wood-carving, and few OF them take up the
study Of 1t seriously.
1T Is hard upon their soft hands and
tedious to be standing for hours driving
chisels and gougers in o the hard wood
Then they have little idea Of designing
for wood or Of the slow. weary years in
which a student must work who would
achieve any degree OF success
They are good patronessee, however, and
their adoption Of the fashion OF carved
articles In doing much to add to the beauty
Of modern homes. Wood carving is a lux
ury, and 1t is good sign. when a nation
begins to adorn its houses in this enduring
form Of art. both Of general prosperity and
Of a growing art sentiment
The wood used In carving depends upon
the articles TO be manufactured and the
uses to which they will be put, For minute
work requiring care and much detail in the
execution. boxwood is nearly always
used. but where bold effects are desired
nothing equals OAK. This wood is used
almost entirely for exterior decorations.
Its color is good, IL wears well and lends
itself TO the sort Of designs used in such
cases
One needs to go among the beautiful |
homes OF New York to realize the extent |
OF the fashion OF carved wood. The society |
maids and matrons will point proudly |
TO a hall rack OF ornament and tell you
how they carved that coat Of arms Of their
family upon II with their very own hands.
They may even show the small red bis
ters acquired during the task which will
be proof positive that they held the chisel
and the mallet at least part Of the time.