Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-18
DECORATIVE ART IN AMERICA.
European Critics Lament Scarcity Of
Beauty in Decoration in United States
From the Literary Digest.

From the Literary Digest.
That eminent body of scientific students.
the International Congress of American
lists, which was formed solely for the study
Of the Americas. had its origin, as the Sun
reminds us, in Europe; and the same paper
remarks that perhaps again. in the field OF
decorative art, 1t Is European interest In
are American subject which viii induce
some Americans themselves to study their
home opportunities Undoubtedly our dec
orative arts have enjoyed unwonted
amount of discussion In the press since the
publication of recent criticisms uttered by
an English architect and decorator now
visiting this country. Our critical visitor
pointed out the low estate of decoration In
America, alleging in particular that our
furniture Is OF uninteresting and stereo-
typed design, and our architectural decora-
ton inappropriate. In the discussion fol-
lowing these structures number Of local
decorators and mural artists admitted the
main points OF the indictment. The Sun
comments edftorially on its interviews with
some of these artists. To quote In part:
zone says that people here have been
taught to think that a Louis XIV or Louis
XVI house or room Is what they want.
Another says that this has caused the
building and furnishing of homes and pub
lie edifices to become in this country rather
business than an art or profession. Is
1t possible that large numbers of the people
of seeing imported art works and have.
come to think that works of art must come
from abroad or be like the pieces or mod
els imported? Has this idea been instilled
rather than the lesson that the art of
country must be a growth and expression
OF the genius of its people?
Another artist says that to effect q
change it will be necessary for US to train
up "a workmanship, he expressed tia
skilled craftsmanship. such as the old
countries had In the days when they de-
veloped the best in their art He despairs
of securing a return of this skilled crafts
mansnip under the present system of union
d!ctation and the abol .shment OF appren-
ticeship He Is convinced that IL unions
and employers cannot arrange to restore
the old system an equivalent course OF
study should be made part of the curric-
ulum in the system of public education
The Evening Post thinks that the move
ment In the National Arts Club to found
school OF line craftsmanship SHOWS feel-
ing that all Is not well In this field: and 1t
suggests that the director of the Metropoli-
tan Museum is acting as missionary when
ne brings over specimens OF hne wood-carv-
ing and copies of old interiors The low
estate of the decorative arts among US.
this paper finds is due to the contempt In
which they are held by artists and the ar
tistic minority. as well as to the general
absence of taste among the newly rich
classes. On this point we read further:
"This scorn of applied design on the part
OF the artistic Is eminentiy provincial and
beSpeakS Amilation- ne pcst atLists VI
the renaissance were willing to decorate
furniture, design frames or undertake an
entire interior. They passed readily from
painting to sculpture and architecture
Raphael and his school evidently took
keen delight IN the invention OF arabesque
pafternB Even In the eighteenth century.
the elimination OF academic fdealA nobody
seems to have thought II was mira dig.
for Clodlon and Falconnet to apply their
exquisite sculpture to the adornment OF
furniture and clocks. Condemned by the
professional artist and mtsunderstood ~
its best patrcnA Aeeerattye deeDn has