The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-09-06
WORK BY THE FOLLOWERS
OF WILLIAM MORRIS.

TIE exhibits IN the south room OF tbs
British section. the gallery which Is en-
tered from the rear door Of the east wing
Of the Art Palace. deserves the study "
every visitor to tho galleries
7. IL not exceeding truth TO say that
this room will be more significant 10
thoughtful persons than any other In the
entire space devoted 70 the Fine Arts
Not that special objects here arc monU-
mental or great works OF art Not that
ore viii lie stirred by any expression
through the brush or point which leads
Us into an ethereal world OF the beautiful
Nothing OF the sort. but a collection
which =; least Indicates the only sane bic
o: art phllosophlzlng that ever was
evolved.
Art. OF course. has no philosophy. SIN.
II art Be anything at all. one would think
that no "dizcoverer'' should have been
needed 10 reason 70 the conclusion that &c
does, not beS.u and end With the sculpture
on the PEDESTAL and the painting on tbs
wall, That the paperng tho design Of
furniture. Che general color tones. svery-
thing in the home down 20 the dcorknobs
may be essentially OF art. does not seem To
Re a proposition Of profound proportions.
So far az the presen; period Is con-
cerned. only within young mans recoi-
lection Aad tho Division OF the British
section. 20 which reference is made. repre-
sen,s the men who did much TO give such
an impetus 20 the wide activities now re-
fer-ed to as the applied arts. and tho
number OF rs followers.
As this IL a modern exhibition limited 70
the work OF the last ten years. nothing
Of the actual handicra:t 0: William Nor
RE Is displayed There Is one embroidered
cOyerlet. the design OF which Is his.
though the execution Is tina. OF Sis. MAJ
Morris. his sister But many. many things
are shcwn-walI paper designs. decorative
panels. carved and burnt wood inIa;d
work. book cover designs and illuminated
vo!umes-a hundred ard one objects which
either discover his direct influence or are
In the line o. the reviva! led by him.
Like all important movements. IL was
not entirely a one-.nan affair. Sir Edward
Brrre-Jones and Walter Crane are As pos
lively Identified with st. and their fol-
lowers are numerous and, In many cases,
notable.
The exhibition Is made by the Arts and
Crafts Exhibition Society OF London. and
the secretary OF the society. Alfred A
I>olgden. IS the Commissioner IN charge.
This society has accomplished the organ
izat'on OF the movement and now thor
oUshay stands for the idea"
The frieze in the entire British section
was designed and. fo- the most part.
painted by Walter Crane. The scheme con-
ststs Of series OF shields connected by
scrolls OF foliage. The inscription on the
scrolls In the Arts and Crafts room refers
70 the aims OF the movement-''The unity
ct design anu handicraft In adaptation.
material and use" In the frieze. occupying
the two end walls. the running scrolls be-
tween the shields are inscribed with the
names OF the various kinds OF art work
malship Included in this section The
frieze. as a whole, is an admirable Illus
tration Of the decorative results accom-
plished when every step In the work IS
overseen by the artist
Crane Is the most versatile member Of
the society. One corner OF the room Is de-
voted entirely TO his work. and in 1t one
finds designs for book covers, stained Glass
mural tiles. a municipal mace and smaller
objects OF particular interest Il q linen
portiere. upon which u embroidered q de-
sign containing tie symbols for the sun
syn is HIS though It Vas worked out BY
Mrs. Crane.
Needlework. enameling. pottery. 5ewelry.
manties. cabinets. lace ard all the varie-
ties OF surface decoration are included In
the collection The objects Of special At
fractions are so many that space forbids
an attempt to summarize. even a few Of
them, In this article. In general. however.
the Importance lies in M one NIECE nor IN
any group. but IN all together. In seeing
We realize better than when We are toll
that the relationship between art and Use
is very close
The word art" Is confusing. and often
its very sound Is irritating. like an old
joke. At times ones goes go far as to re-
gard It as somewhat Of . Joke. involving
and summing up into an airy
nothing. There Il 80 much talk on and 80
much buncombe IN the subject But when
1t comes TO use. dealing with the articles
that belong to a home. then It merely
means the best. or an object lesson in
taste Then it speaks IN the language Of
the people. To understand IL in that suise
you co not have to learn the equivalent
OF dictionary Of terms. 81 IN reading
the German philosophers It Is reduced to
arst principles.
The nearest relative Of the word Is
skill" and the fact Is that this simple
Is enough All beyond what IL i'm
Piled by skill and taste lies In TIE
realm OF esthetics. which certainly ever
viii be a field known and understood By
he very few. And this Is simply to poin.
'ut the service performed by william Nor
is. the practical esthete