Arizona republican., 1920-10-31

featured the club week, the event att tracting scores of lovers of art who were not only interested in the excep- tionally fine prints, reproductions of famous paintings but the work of local artists as well. While the program presented many clever numbers the talk of particular interest in connec- ton with the exhibit was the discus sion by Charles R. Sterling His talk in full follows:
 Anyone who has stopped long enough before the doors of q great cathedral to catch a glimpse of the interior and has been held captive by the wonder ful picture presented to his eyes. will readily understand why through all ages the doors of temples have been so arranged that full view of the altar, naturally the principal object of in terest, could be obtained from without
 The frame of the doorway greatly enhanced the effect for which the ar chitect aimed and a still greater charm was lent to the sanctuary already abounding in mystery.
 From a practical standpoint it is without question that doors arranged at the sides of palaces and temples would have been much more conven- tent, but apparently the ancient build CTS never lost sight of the picturesque effect, and properly framed the picture presented by the interior to those who approached the doorway.
 So if we wish to trace the picture frame through it's various stages O. development we must needs go back tS the doorway, without doubt the oldes frame. No wonder then that we fine the earliest sculptured reliefs of Egypt | frames which at once suggest the door of palaces or temples.
 According to an inscription on Edfou Thath, the god of artists and scribes commanded that the winged globe, thu emblem of the victory of light owe darkness, should be carved over ever. door, and as we find few of the ancien doorways without 1t so we do not fine it missing from many of the earlies frame borders. The upright support or borders afforded an excellent back ground for hierogryphic records of hin whom the artist depicted in the relic sculpture.
 Since even the earliest wall decora tions were framed in some way 1t i obvious that from the earliest historica times the artists have fully recognize the value of the frame.
 Slowly we see the frame taking dis | tinct shape and form, at first used onl to heighten the effect of sculpture and interiors, we find it for the frs | fourteen centuries, throughout tn | Romanesque and Gothic periods use | only as a religious and architecture adjunct; and 1t was only with the com ing of the Renaissance period tha artist and artisan see.hed to awake to the fact that it might be used t serve purely decorative purposes.
 Soon after this recognition the fram reached its apogee, for in this perio 1 of Renaissance we find no labor to too rich to be lavished upon this en closure of beauty and art.
 The frame kept pace with the pro gross Of painting and sculpture and a they reached their perfection durin the Renaissance, so we find the pictur frame assuming it's characteristic forl which it has since retained.
 The old Venetian frames of the si, teenth century are especially fnteres' ing. Tn design they were mostly al chitectural, carved from wood and O ten gilt. These soon made their appear ance in all European countries whel they became a source of inspiration
 all the wood carvers.
 Dur1nE me SlXleenln century only IT very well-to-do people were able
 own picture frames, their cost puttir them beyond the reach of the averal householder. In fact it was not uni the eighteenth century was nearing i close, about the time that Queen Vi toria came to the throne. that pric were sufficiently reduced that fram
 could be purchased by people N moderate means.
 The Louis periods in France-pa Z ticularly that of Louis XIV the Gres
 which extended from 1643 to 1715-is | especial interest. as the arts of car ] ing and gliding were brought to the E greatest perfection during that tin
 which is fitly termed the Triumph Gilded Wood"
 About the beginning of the eig teenth century a composition was i troduced by means of which ordina patterns could be easily moulded al
 as there was little incentive for wo
 carvers for the next eighty yea
 mainly old patterns were reproduced.
 The best mid eighteenth centu } frame work was done by Grinling Gi / bons and his disciples.
 The great Chippendale too turned
 attention to frames but his desig