New Distribution of Memorial Art: Decoration of Trinity Church in Boston, and New Assembly Chamber in Albany

 New delivery of the memorable APT.

In Washington, hardworking Signer Bromidy has grayed out the walls of the National Capital with Italian decor, turning it gray in the service of art, bringing it to the point of manual perfection that leaves nothing to be desired in terms of technical merits, but which itself Has been proven. The art of a country without results is not good for him and probably not even worse. When we are told that the old artist is now painting his long toil on the freezer or belt that encloses the history of American civilization under the dome, the imitation of Boss Relief is so admirable that it can even deceive. Is. Selected, we can understand the mechanical spirit that is under his work; We can understand that the best traditions that surround the corridors and committee rooms and the festivals - here in one style, there in another, and everything is correctly described, why not become effective examples of high inspiration. He was born with a cold artistic spirit, with no rules of life. Every example of strong, original artistic belief in history has more or less sensibly guided the currents of modern art. But such work is not influenced by such beliefs. That is why he has introduced the art of wall decoration in this country and has not created any excitement.

Our opportunities for heroic work in this field of art have been frequent, but some brilliant efforts have been made in the last two years to improve them, when Mr. John LaFarge and Mr. William Hunt at Trinity Church, Boston. For the first time in New York State Capitol's Assembly Chamber, the country has been given examples that could prove to be good seed. It is the duty of civilization to examine such examples seriously. The results of good examples of wall decoration are very beautiful and abundant, and bad examples, if they are influenced by any passion, are so fruitful in mistakes, that they are thoughtfully complimented by the word of praise. Facing results in any direction. Or the accused will miss out on a golden opportunity. Indifference is a virtue of barbarism.

Therefore, we propose to study these examples of wall decoration with an open heart, so that we may arouse the spirit of inquiry, so that we may know which direction they are suitable to take us, and that if If they have, let us know in advance. Any element of danger in them.

The architecture of the Trinity Church is especially hospitable for the high decoration in color, as it bears large interior surfaces, and because of its architectural features, unlike the traditional Gothic churches, there is a great demand for decorative schemes. Do not When the architect was allowed to call Mr. La Farage to help complete the work, the latter found at his disposal, at first, considerable dimensions and extensive, suggestive space. And, secondly, he had the sympathy of the people for whom and with whom he worked. However, with limited time and resources, he did a brave job - as perhaps no artist of memorable art had subjected himself to previous works. He brought to this work the spirit of a true artist, strong in his convictions and brave in his hopes, but not used for the study or preparation of architectural effects.

Let us now consider the construction conditions of his work. Because without a thorough understanding of the theme inspired by the spirit of the place, we cannot come to a conclusion. Inside the church walls are crucifixes, navels, transpositions and chandeliers, about fifty feet wide, and the inner dimensions are about one hundred and forty feet in length and one hundred and fifteen feet in width. The inner height is a little over sixty feet. The minaret that rises at the navel crossing and is about fifty feet square inside and its roof which is open for view from the inside is one hundred feet from the floor. The roofs of the auditorium are of light fringe and plaster in the form of a continuous barrel vault of the trifle section, against the great arches of the crossing, which are lowered in a uniform shape, with iron ties with wooden tie beams. Are surrounded. On a level with the edge of the altar. The four large granite piers, which retain the weight of the tower, are surrounded by fringe and plastering, ending in group shafts with group capitals and bases. Thus the whole outward appearance is contrary to the tenets of modern construction ethics, which is a veil of construction. We do not suggest entering here the question of whether or to what extent the architect was justified in denying his responsibility for the ethics of design as the great masters of ancient and modern Practiced and explained by For our immediate purpose it is sufficient to note that the actual building material is nowhere to be seen on the inside, providing the color key to the decorator, or in any way affecting its design, in front of it. There was a field that was particularly unconcerned. .

The exterior architecture of the church is a very passionate and masculine form of the round altar Romanesque, inspired by the traditions of Auvergne and Salamanca, and later blended well with many medieval details, and An appropriate job for an architect. Nineteenth century. Thus, even in terms of style, the artist had no reason to gain anything from his freedom to archeological conventions. It was left to freedom to follow the same, intelligent electoral spirit that guided the architect.

With regard to the interior paint, thus left open for some arbitrary solution, the architect's desire for a red effect was accepted as the starting point, and this color was adopted for the whole walls, its quality being solid. Was And neutral. Either in reality, or by the effect of light, or by the change of surface, it is subject to variations in color, so that its values ​​really differ in different parts of the church. And so, at the very beginning, we seem to have escaped the domestic goodness of the equation of machine accuracy and workmanship. The curved surfaces of the roof are subdivided into narrow cross sections by small molds of black walnut or black walnut color, and these sections acquire a reddish complementary color, a greenish blue, which The value bottle is green. These parts or stripes are cut into the ears or squares by means of transverse lines, each of which is occupied with the shape or device of a traditional character, which is drawn to the imagination rather than the intellect, not the moral sense. Instead of content. There are probably a dozen of these instruments, some of them seemingly cabalistic or vaguely mysterious in character, divided into excavations with a particular oriental irregularity, and carefully avoiding geometric repetition. These shapes come in a variety of shades of olive, brown, and buff, with gold here and there in a charming tone. This complexity results in a very rich, calm and original effect - an effect that is cleverly crafted and technically performed, but legitimate and legitimate and readable by all decorators who do not know that How to stay calm without getting tired. It is really amazing to see how many elements of color and shape achieve this serious result. This indicates a very intelligent study of Eastern methods. The same color is used in the decoration of the four arches of the tower, so that the important representative work of their support is not determined and recognized with the strength and dignity that the conditions require; But the four large clusters of ghats at the intersection of the navel, the transept, and the chancel have received treatment in deep bronze green, - with very spacious and simple, golden capitals and bases, - an arrangement that reserves its reserve. And equally noteworthy for its strength. , And to harmonize it with the prevailing accent of the surroundings. The main line of demarcation between the pale red of the walls and the deep green of the ceiling, which forms the cornice, is weak and inadequate, and is confronted with the structure of the capitals of the great ghats, which would be said to be unmade and infallible. If it was the work of a twelfth-century architect, but in the present circumstances it should be considered careless or deviant. As far as color is concerned, it may have been given so much that these weaknesses and shortcomings of it can be forgiven, but rather it is enhanced by emphasizing and separating its unfortunate details.

The decoration of the navel walls, as far as it is concerned, is conceived with a free and original spirit, resulting in a very rich surface effect. It is mostly confined to the clearing storey wall above the aisle of the corridor, and consists of a belt below the cornice and on a line parallel to the windows, with painted pilasters of various instruments between the windows, adding spaces which In both cases there is a complete digestive tract. The architectural shapes of this decoration are Italian in character, treated very independently, and the belts and plasters are decorated with raffles scrolls and plants, in the traditional Italian style, with variations of shades of green and rose. With. Some of the backgrounds behind the plasters are treated with patterns and colors taken from the eastern carpets. The amount of design developed on the description of this part of the work, the absence of repetition and stencil work, ignoring the unnecessary things of balance, the abundance of parts, with the general effect, however, calm, rich and comfortable, - it All the features combine to make this work a remarkable departure from the more or less mechanical methods of surface enrichment to which we have become accustomed. The very flaws of the execution and design, - such as, in particular, the lack of judgment in the treatment of the architectural maps used - have been shown, and the numerous offenses against the decorative traditions, have given these walls individuality. Provide a special charm. The main result of color harmony and richness of ornaments is obtained, and the quality of this color harmony is exactly what could not be achieved by any mechanical means. Compared to modern traditional surface decoration, with the accuracy of its craftsmanship and the accuracy of its method, it is worth noting that it contains not only the personality of the artist, but also his style of thinking. And the study shows, however, that its manipulative features, such as those of a craftsman or craftsman, could never be assigned, no matter how skilled and sympathetic he may be, unless he is under immediate supervision.

Two pictorial essays - one with Our Savior and the Samaritan Woman in the Well, and the other with our Savior Mary Magdalene - have been treated in a scholarly manner, with the utmost seriousness of the sense of line and color. And with complete restraint. Reserve that comes in respect of consecrated species. In this regard, they show the curious contradiction between the precedent of precedent and the precedent of freedom in their traditional environment. These compositions have light, shadow, shadow, and perspective, and are thus a crime for high hetsthetics who do not properly recognize a wall decoration that is not flat. But the Purist can hardly blame any mistake in his heart that apologizes for the fact that there is no distance between the pictures, in each case the pictures are being projected against the surface of the screen or against the wall. From the fact that they make. There is no marked space on the wall, and they are an integral part of the general color scheme, not an unusual part.

The decoration details in the tower, as we have said, are open to a height of one hundred feet from the auditorium area, where it has a smooth, green roof divided into cases or panels crossing the beams. ۔ Very large, as is suitable for their greater distance from the eye. Each wall of the tower has three round arched windows, resting on a sloping string course, perhaps ten feet above the crown of the four supporting arches. It's like a box full of light, as it were. It is spread out with a faint red accent on the walls, and there is a great deal of enrichment in the background, which borrows a great deal from the work of Raphael's disciples in line and color. have been. As much as he would deal with them. But in some parts, especially on the crown of the great arches, there is a special boldness of contrast between the square panels and the archival lines, reminiscent of Japanese decorative methods. But if there are sections reminiscent of Giotto's work in Assisi, the screens of Fra Angelico's altars, the Vatican's stains, or the panel of Villa Madame, there is much more to think and do. Was Only by a nineteenth-century scholar. Much of the detail is hidden below, especially the study of the Raphaelesqucs in the tympanum of the tower windows. But one can see that the panels in the corner of the window stage are full of symbolic creatures of evangelists.

St. Mark's Lion, St. John's Eagle, and so on, climbing or sitting on curious traditional bushes, scrolls, or diapers; And one can read the inscription on the gold bar under the windows: "Blessings, honor, glory, and power, to him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever." The archival vault of the great arches is also marked with a large golden stripe, and the spoons in between Has been The layout, as a whole, is not exactly the same as the old master, as we have said. Yet it imitates a pagan or oriental style. But it has absorbed all the relevant paradigms enough to create an effect that relates to the age in which we live. The passion for red never fades, and a system of decoration is presented against it, which, though complex in purpose and in different colors, is consistent with the general result.

The six great personalities of the prophets and apostles, though conceived with a great degree of learning and religious sensibility, indicate a certain greatness of emotion, such as a man who hangs the prophets and sages on the Saxton chapel. Knows When starting any such scheme, the mind wants enthusiasm and accuracy. Their sketches are hesitant and indecisive, their hands are badly stretched, there is no human structure under the clothes, there is no cleanliness or freshness of color in them, and in the process they look raw and hasty. But they are by no means conventional or ordinary, as they work much better, and as decorative accessories they are big, bold and effective. They are compatible with the general scheme of colors, and they add a very high degree of human interest to the whole effect. But technically they offer another very important example of cowardice and indifference, which the modern-day conscious and conscientious artist is fit to present in the presence of these great ideals, which, after careful study, encompassed all the achievements. Is. Old masters. Execution is far behind the intention. But better than the gentle perfection of a disciplined hand, otherwise ignorant and uninspiring thinking, though presented incompletely, is better. "We're all working hard," said Sir Joshua Reynolds, at the same time. This comment is pregnant with insufficient suggestions of modern art, under its normal circumstances, when asked to do really great work. It not only explains the indirectness and indecisiveness of the productions of the most thoughtful modern artists, but also the imperfection in which they are forced to give up most of their ambitious work. The process of their formation, especially in a work envisioned on a scale of bravery, is challenged at every step by the spirit of the past. They lack the virtue of simplicity, and the joy of their action is in doubt.

The importance and interest of this remarkable example of interior decoration as a whole, cannot be questioned for a moment. When the empty red fields in the walls are filled like navel, when his empty hemi cycle is filled with the shoulders of his procession, and thus the whole interior is brought into a state of unity, then it will be known that our experience Tolerating a higher form of art on public monuments, such as the one that made Italian walls magnificent in the sixteenth century, is perfectly legitimate. But even in its present imperfect state, even as a record of the intriguing temporary process, more or less successful in the art of decorating wall spaces, this endeavor, like every other work of art, is a departure for a new art. Is the location of A series of breakthroughs. There is a principle of life that is capable of indefinite expansion. It simply opens a new field for the artist to learn, experience and feel poetic, beyond the craft traditions. It shows how great he uses his memory and invention resources. It encourages the study of great examples. Furthermore, it suggests how the decoration of simple wall surfaces in homework can be avoided by a mechanical painter, and by thinking about the details, through more subtle adjustments of colors, through more intelligent identification. According to his abilities, he can be made into a work of art.

Mr. William Hunt's work in Albany has been perceived on a very different scale, and has been adjusted to construction conditions that are less fortunate. We have observed that Mr. La Farage's work in Boston was particularly embarrassing or unconventional. The whole scheme of interior colors was at his command. Space and occasion were in every way conducive to the greatest freedom of design in color and shape. And this freedom, as we have seen, artistic and perhaps in spite of the constitutional cowardice or reserve we have talked about, and in spite of its brief circumstances and sighs, it has shown great discretion and religious respect. Used with, which was not violated. When B was so bold as to blend so much Orientalism into the substance and fiber of his work, which was not at least ecclesiastical.

The assembly chamber in Albany is a large-scale commemorative hall, the walls and walls of which are covered with yellow stone, which are very bold in their general design, and decorated with colors of red, blue, black and gold. Has been charged. This decoration, though uninteresting in detail, is rich in general effect, and in fact almost Mauritius. The architectural features are Gothic, the engravings are traditional and coarse, but the whole design is done with great boldness and ingenuity, and the whole result is bright, big, exquisite, and though desirable to the senses of detail, As appropriate. A great city hall. The two opposite walls of this chamber are occupied by round arched windows in two stages, with three holes in the lower part, and a continuous arcade of six holes in the upper part. Between the arches of this arcade and the wide, pointed ceiling vault that hits the wall above, a triangular space or tympanum forty feet wide and perhaps half as high, and we must assume, is about forty feet from the chamber floor. ۔ On this high place, on either side of the hall, Mr. Hunt has painted two decorative and pictorial compositions, the most important of its kind ever performed in this country. We suggest considering these images from a purely decorative point of view, not as free images, but as memorable accessories for a great architectural structure.

When the artist did this important work, the conditions of his partner were already fixed. The style of work was uncompromising Gothic. The lower limit of each tympanum was an arcade of bright windows. The upper boundary was the outline of the great enclosing vaulting altar. The vaulting surface was adorned with a series of decorative belts, with coarse-grained patterns of coarse design applied with the raw colors we've talked about. These belts closed at right angles against the proposed image field, and there was no vaulting rib or molding to mark the line between the wall and the ceiling. To meet these conditions of light and color, Mr. Hunt was forced to paint his pictures on a very high key, and to give his sketch a tone of extraordinary enthusiasm. However, we cannot imagine that he was deceived about the amount of light that these surfaces would get from the opposite windows, and that the staging he painted had created a twilight that Accordingly, he had adapted his work. Because the broad morning light deceives a roughness of outline and color that hides in the dim light of noon, when the pictures seem to be in their most favorable aspect. However, there is a fatal flaw in the decorative effect, due to the absence of a separate demarcation line or frame to separate the airspace of the structure from the hard colored lines of the belt in the vaulting. Is. , Which attacks the edges of its clouds. The pictorial character of the designs is another reason why they are isolated from this unsympathetic neighborhood by such a tool. The greatest masters of decoration understood this principle perfectly, and always used an attached frame wherever their work was permanently closed. The vicissitudes of the Franciscans and the Vatican, the roof of the Apollo Gallery in Paris, the Council Chamber in Venice, the Saxton Chapel in Rome and countless other examples clearly show that the masters were not satisfied with mere angles. As a threshold for the individual compositions in which they were decorated. The only example of high art we can recall in which this principle is not observed is the final decision of Michelangelo, which covers the whole of the chapel. And the failure of this great work as decoration is almost entirely attributed to the error of its frontier lines. But in Roman work, as in Pompeii, in Romanesque work, as in Byzantium and St. Mark's, and in the art of early Christian painters, the same effect of isolation is obtained by placing the structure on a gold background. Flat traditional colors, quite contrasting with the surrounding colors to create a separate area.

Eugene Veron says, "Artistic generations have considered the monumental painting to be a bright and yet slightly modeled drawing. While it gives us a nice design combined with harmonious colors, it has done everything we should expect." "In decorative painting, both ancient and medieval," he observes elsewhere, "the utmost care was taken to avoid everything that seemed impossible." Seen from the time of apostasy, which acknowledged the realistic effects of perspective and healing in the decoration of its walls. The medieval setting of Mr. Hunt's compositions naturally suggests a flat treatment that the medial decorator always uses. Use, and the shape and position of the tampana they occupy seems to make their free image treatment even more contradictory. Not only do they suggest a return to ancient and medieval principles, which requires a brighter and more modeled drawing, as Mr. Hunt has very aptly limited himself to this work, but Statistical formulas are specific to formal coordination. Even to the extent of a central figure or on a large scale with supporters. Emergency is one of the architecture, which is better than the traditional methods of treating romantic illusions in color, modeling and movement. This is not to say that the kind of pictorial illusion that Mr. Hunt has attempted is absolutely unacceptable. That there are still no empty surfaces left in this chamber that are less structural, that is, less surrounded by structural conditions, and less accessible to the eye, and therefore more hospitable to such compounds. Will

We have so far discussed these compositions entirely as an architectural decoration in their function, as they should be in their highest artistic use. We cannot ignore the fact that opportunity has been misunderstood in a fundamental way, and that a much lower level of work than Mr. Hunt's work would serve that purpose better. With all his might, with all his mastery of accent and with all his voluptuous determination to draw, he has failed to obtain the right to fill such places with such work. This is a waste of great resources.

Considering these works of art as mere pictures creates a collection of different critical faculties from those that need to be considered as decorations. Through the parables of Flight of Night and Discover, the artist symbolizes the simultaneous restoration of letters and the discovery of America. The former has long been familiar with the elements who frequented Mr. Hunt's studio. It is, in fact, a flying cloud, the substance and movement of which is determined by the advice of an air chariot pulled by three sinking riders, one of which is clinging to the torch - carrying the bridegroom, down. Guides instead of stopping the flight. . There is a tall woman sitting on a cloudy seat, pointing to her eyes with her hand. And below, in the shadowy layer of the high curtain, is a dimly-photographed woman sleeping with a child, and above her a small protective spirit. The insightful character of the structure is unaffected by any material instrument.

There are no bridles, no turbans, no chariots, no wheels. It is a rapid movement of vapor, poetically presented with a magnificent flight of horses, and enough for the human interest in statistics to suggest a meaning which each interprets in its own way. Could do It is a very subtle point in the emotions of the picture that the spectators are not forced to imitate by the use of useless accessories. Horses are drawn with great passion and the confidence and declaration of a master. Human statistics are a bit higher than suggested. They are moment-by-moment scenes, part of a cloudy spectacle. When illuminated by bright sunlight, or by the artificial light of the chamber at night, the powerful pattern of sketches and colors designed to create the effect is somewhat unpleasantly deceptive. In the middle of the afternoon, as we have said, the same qualities that are imaginary at other times, help to create the most effective and poetic kind of pictorial harmony. The same can be said with the power of the explorer. A hamlet - like a man, armored and clothed, standing prominently in a boat, halfway through, appears on the high waves of the ocean. Behind him, holding a helmet and a Draper's billing cell, stands a winged female figure in a dignified manner, suggested by Mello's Venus. And with its outline against a bright crack in the western sky, with a sincerity, a forward look and a hint of confident hope, the spirit of the water bends. These figures seem to us to be the best in the group; It is beautifully crafted, and plays a pleasing role in the composition. Two other women's figures are floating on the waves. That way we have good luck and hope. The guidebooks will explain the rest of the parable, which in our view is less important than the painting on the opposite wall, and contains too many elements and too much material that cannot be left to the mind. A solid poetic image. Structure is required in simplicity, and the effect of the whole depends on a momentary event; The next moment of time beyond what is shown, the next wash of uncertain blues, will obviously confuse the whole group. This coming catastrophe seems to be in a way to destroy the dignity of the allegory. The masters of the Renaissance, when they chose a sea color for their subjects, such as the conquest of Galata, the rape of Europa, and Venus Anadomine, managed to save us from such doubts. Able to fall into new collections without loss of harmony. But Mr. Hunt's parable is disconnected, and it seems that we need some element of harmony to give a sense of security to the floating and flying groups of Guido, Robbins, and Anbel Karasi. The idea of ​​a night flight is admirable in that respect. In an instant the cloudy view will depart, leaving a calm sky, and space will be left for all the successful contests of civilization.

These comments are made with the permanent reservation of the confidence that the power and truth of this Master's artistic conviction and his practical hand and eye will bear it safely in the territories of the "High Empire". That in the features of the technique, even in this last. Essay writing is one of the few modern artists who can surpass him, demonstrating the irony of his talents that he has accomplished great feats in a much wider field that is bound by a gold frame. And the masculine breadth of understanding he has demonstrated there is still an admirable predictor of great success. We are convinced that his intelligence may have a better place in his next test, and he may not be punished again under "Paint Up Utica". The high vault, the fire of the windows below, and a semi-savage splendor of raw paint above, - a place which should be treated only with the art of tradition, so strictly within its limits, so bold and so free-spirited. And for self-denial.