The Washington herald., 1909-10-10

Arbiter, care The Washington Herald.
The housewives OF the city are Just now
occupied with putting their houses in
winter attire. which is no small task
since the climate Of Washington neoessl-
tates the slowing away OF carpets, the
covering OF furniture. and a general
screening OF doors and windows during
the summer months. When all is fin
ished and the homes IN the West End
and In less exclusive quarters ere in or
der and ready again for the winter cam
paign, the results are most happy, Tor the
building and Interior furnishing OF to-
day have reached high point OF excel
lence. The last half century marks ex-
traordinary progress. but in no de-
partments. Is Il more noticeable than IN
building. housekeeping. and house fur
nishing The homes and their conduct
OF our time ere so essentially different
from those OF the middle OF the last
century as TO hardly DO recognizable as
belonging TO the same country. The rea-
sons for thse changes are many and some
Of them obvious The Victorian era. with
its meaningless draperies, heavy ugly
furniture. made by the machinery which
at that time came into use, the over or
namented exteriors and interiors, sue
ceeded TO the dignity and simplicity OF
the Georgian period IN England, and as
IN England so In America. The style OF the
Georges was abandoned for that Of Queen
Victoria, and with the passion FOR exag-
geration which Is one OF this cOuntry's
CHIEF characteristics. the style was mag
nified and overdrawn on this side OF the
water. hence the middle OF the last cen
fury Will stand as the apex OF bad taste
IN household art. here. at least. where
there are no Inherited palaces and cas-
ties and few manor houses. containing
stores Of art treasures and encircled by
traditions, which serve 10 keep the taste
OF their owner and those who were IN any
way connected with them reasonably
pure.
In those days America was a long dis
lance from the other side. We took what
was sent us from abroad without COM
plant, and it frequently happened that
the shopkeepers Of England and France
unloaded on their unsuspecting American
patrons many things that were not sal
hideous things which served to vitiate
our taste and de5ase our standards. The
houses that were built at that period
were hideous, and the furniture imported
for their adornment more hideous. the
clothes that both men and women wore
most hldeOus: in fact. all styles that az
feet actual living became so impossible
that reaction was inevitable. and It
came with William Morris, poet, artist
manufacturer, and socialist. author OF
The Earthly Paradise, " as the Fast
Britannica sums UP this wonderful man
II is not my intention TO review what
Norris did for the world IN the many
lines he followed. but 10 slightly indicate
what he did for home-malking and house
decorating. His interest In these sub
1ects dates from his joint proprietorship
with Burne-Jones Of the rooms at Il Red
Lion square, which had been formerly
occupied by Rossett and DeverelI In tho
early days OF the Brotherhood.
Morris was then a man OF means. but
he could not find in any OF tho London
shops furniture suitable 70 his needs. II
must be remembered that he was a de-
voice OF medlevaIism. and In the big.
vulgar. overdecOrated furniture offered 20
him at the Rest houses was IN such shock
ing bad taste that he sat about design
ing his own furniture, which was in
tensely medieval" 70 quote Rosetti
tables and chairs Ike incubl and sue
cubi." His first efforts were a large,
round table "as firm and heavy as a
rock" and some large chairs such as
Barbarossa might have sat in" and then
the famous 90 Ne which Rosseti deco
rated. and the v4rirobe covered by Burne-
Jones with paintings from The Prioress'
Tale Ia Chaucer. No one could OF
course hope 20 haze furniture designed
and decorated by the great masters OF
the day. but the chairs. tables. and
wardrobe which Morris designed. and
which were decorated by Burne-Jones
and Rossett. became as famous as Red
Lion Mary the housekeeper, cook. and
Egeria Of these noted men. and was the
beginning Of a renaissance for which this
age, now enjoying the fruits OF It, cannot
be too grateful
America, eager 20 accept all new ideas
promptly adopted those OF the Morris
School. but, unhappily. the ideas Il ad-
Vanced were not always properly inter-
preted. Moreover the centennial celebra-
ton brought many other STYLES that In
vited our attention with a result that
there was a cOmmingling Of different
schools which resulted in a hodge podge
that took years TO clear away. Japanese
decorations appeared upon medieval fur
niture. and there was a general melange
which was far from attractive. This
condition arose from the fact that the
tastes OF neither the artisans nor the
people were educated, and there were few
masters in any art TO point out the true
from the false With the shortening OF
the distance between this country and
o7
Our artists studied in foreign schools. IN
France, italy, England, and brought back
the best to be found IN those countries.
and our people were educated by foreign
travel. The war against sepss. which
has been so valiantly waged for the last
quarter OF a century has, too. had a great
effect upon both house building and house
furnishing. and thu reforms II has
brought about are as acceptable IN an
artistic as in a hygienic way. The heavy
hangings. pulled and twisted into ugly
folds: tho massive upholstered furniture.
the carpets with the cotton Innings Of
former years furnished most desirable
breeding places for all sorts Of germs.
but since the beginning OF antiseptic sur
gerry the discovery of the microbes that
cause various diseases, which we're for
merely thought 20 be Wsitations Of Divine
elAe'Af anu L44O consequent INTRODUCTION OF
hygienic living, these have fallen under a
ban and have been replaced by furniture
that can be washed and scrubbed. II
draperies OF the simplest de-
scription, and rugs that can be taken I'D
and cleaned al will. These innovations |
have made the modern interior pleasanter !
to live in, more interesting, and healthier |
than those that marked the reign OF good |
Queen Victoria, and we are not going !
backward. Every year shows an improve |
ment both IN building and living.
The tendency Of the day is toward |
and elegance, two qualities |
that are not so incompatible as some |
people seem 70 think; for while simple !