Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-03
DECORATIVE PLAQUES
THE MURAL ADoRNMENT OF THE
DINING ROOM.
Written for rhe stnr.

Written Tor The star
For years or ever since the emancIpn don
Of the artistic mind from old-time hldeous-
ness In housefurnishlng. women with
charming homes have struggled with the
mural decorations Of their dining rooms
From the chrome Nightmares which pic
tured impossible fruits and vegetables down
through assassinated game and mounted
fish the gamut has been run by the house
wife with sublime satisfaction at the be-
ginning of each period and distress OF mind
at the end. Now she bids fair 90 have
struck the artistic thing At last. This IS 10
more or less than the decorative wall
PLAGUE,
These PLAQUES are. in the main, Of china,
which establishes their claim 10 the dining
room at once They are not suitable 10 any
other room in the house. Always the thing
that was needed for the dining room walls
was distinctive something which exactly
fitted. or course, these PLAQUES are seen
upon the walls OF country homes in the
main halls or living room, when the dining
room Is but a corner, and particularly is
this effective when the furniture is the dark
mission wood. In these cases the placques
are not confined 20 the plate rail-, but fill in
empty spaces between bookcase and win
dow. or above or below the rail. They are
suspended invisibly by wire running around
the under rim.
The color possibilities OF these placques
are their most valuable feature. A room
that has hitherto tangled and fretted the
nerves in spite of the efforts Of the owner
to harmoniZe colors Will smooth out and as
sumo harmony OF tone with the addition of
a well-chosen wall PLAGUE or two. This is
especially true of the Austrian PLAQUES.
Some OF the handsomest ones come In dull
blues, greens and Pompeiian reds. which
blend as harmoniously as do the oriental
rugs. They are simple in design, conven-
aff rfraev Nn1-
ors, with each color separated by broad
bands OF dull gold relief. The effect is in
describably soothing, and the eye fingers on
them with the proof Of rest These are
moderate in size. the largest OF them being
no more than twelve inches In diameter.
Look Antique.
The Florentine PLAQUES depend for effect
upon novelty OF design rather than
upon color harmony. although they never
are guilty of color dissonance. They con-
tain all the colors that are shown in the
Austrian ware. only the effect is that of
being washed out. They look like antiques
in this respect. and the large, old-fashioned
sprays OF jonquils, tulips, etc. which stand
stiffly upright over the PLAGUE, carry out
this Illusion still further
The unique feature in the Florentine ware.
however. is the raised work. Many of the
handsomest PLAQUES have sprigs of apple
trees, with good-sized apples laid across one
side Of the PLAGUE and colored to the life
looking really as IL they could be picked up
Other PLAQUES have sprays Of flowers. or
grapes, or cherries. modelled to the life. The
collector OF PLAQUES cannot well pass these
by. Then, too. they are not as expensive as
the Austrian ware. many OF them selling
for less than IS.
There are PLAQUES in the royal Nielsen
ware which are vivid green and red in back
ground covered with a raised ornate design
In bright gold. They Will not be so accept
able according to American notions of color
harmony, however, as the softer-toned wall
decorators. The Russian burnt-wood
PLAQUES are the most unique of all. Far as
we have carried the artistic possibilities OF
the fiery needle point, the Russians have
gone one better, and sent US large fats in
series, depicting the interesting winter life
in the Slay capital. The PLAQUES resemble
hard cork, upon which appear sleighs, snow
horses, dogs and people. in vivid but artis-
tic coloring. Several PLAQUES are used In
a room. as the three depicting the various
stages of a wolf hunt. starting with the exit
OF the people from the house, to the wolf
brought TO bay by the dogs.
There are ugly placques in plenty, and the
artistic woman viii find her good taste free
to express itself as well in the selection of
these decorators in the other furnishings
OF house.