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J- 
 
 JH • 
 
ON 
 
 THE ARTS OF DECORATION 
 
 AT THE 
 
 INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION 
 
 AT PARIS, 
 
 A.D. 1867, 
 
 CONSISTING OF EFFORTS, 
 
 TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT 
 
 ON 
 
 CLASS XV. DECORATION, &c. 
 
 CLASS XVIIL CARPETS, TAPESTRIES, &c. 
 CLASS XIX. PAPER LIANGINGS, &c. 
 
 BY 
 
 M. DIGBY WYATT, 
 
 ARCHITECT AND BRITISH JURER FOR CLASS XV. 
 
 AND 
 
 TO THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT 
 
 ON 
 
 “OUVIUGE^DE TAPISSIER ET DE DECORATEUR,” 
 
 BY 
 
 JULES DIETERLE & M. DIGBT WYATT. 
 
 LONDON 1868. 
 
 COLLECTED AND REPRINTED 
 
 FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY. 
 
Mr. T)ighy Wyatt on Decoration, &e. 
 
 1 
 
 Report on Decorative Work and Upholstery.- 
 (Class 15.)—By M. Digby Wyatt, Architect. 
 
 Me. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decoka- 
 TION, &C. 
 
 Theke is, probably, no class of the community upon 
 whom international exhibitions confer greater benefits than 
 the individuals who act as jurors on such occasions ; since the 
 opportunities afforded to them of taking stock,"’ as it were, 
 not only of the material, but of the intellectual, progress 
 made by each nation in special branches of industry, are of 
 the most favourable kind. Such opportunities obviously 
 include an unrestrained interchange of ideas and com¬ 
 parison of impressions and experiences between those in 
 each country who may have been selected to represent, 
 and may therefore be assumed as likely to exercise a 
 marked influence upon, the particular branches of in¬ 
 dustry with reference to which they may have been 
 called upon to exercise the functions of jurors. While 
 it is depressing on the one hand to observe retrogres¬ 
 sion, it is, on the other, delightful to note advance, 
 and to have to record the steps by which auspicious 
 change may have been effected, opening up vistas of in¬ 
 creased remunerative employment for skilled labour, and a 
 consequent amelioration in the social position of those who 
 have to live by the sweat of their brows."" Having closely 
 followed the details, in their relation to industrial art, of each 
 international exhibition since the first ever-memorable ex¬ 
 periment in 1851, I am happy to be able on the present 
 occasion to place on record my impression that never in 
 the history of labour has change more rapid, improvement 
 more uniform, or present excellence pregnant in a higher 
 degree with future still greater perfection, characterised 
 any corresponding period than has distinguished the forward 
 march of the arts of decoration in the principal nations of 
 Europe during the last 18 years. What the Germans call 
 an Entwickelungzeit,’" or transitional period,’" may be 
 fairly dated from the year in which producers began to 
 gird up their loins ’" in preparation for that noble rivalry 
 of nations in the arts of peace which culminated in the 
 fierce industrial tournament of 1851 ; and from that date to 
 the present there has been an incessant sharpening up of 
 the intellectual weapons, and remedying defects in the armour, 
 of those who took the most conspicuous part in that great 
 mêlée. In no branches of industry do this care and energy 
 make themselves more manifest than in those which are 
 20406.—20. A 
 
 Benefits 
 conferred 
 by Inter¬ 
 national 
 Exhibitions, 
 
 on jurors 
 especially. 
 
 Progresg 
 effected 
 since 1851, 
 
 Generally. 
 
 And in 
 classes 14 & 
 16 espe¬ 
 cially. 
 
2 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mr. Dioby 
 Wyatt 
 OY Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 Apparent 
 
 obvious 
 
 connection 
 
 between 
 decoration 
 and cabinet 
 making. 
 
 Deficient 
 space in the 
 Exhibition 
 for display¬ 
 ing this 
 combina¬ 
 tion. 
 
 A title to 
 adequate 
 space in 
 future exhi¬ 
 bitions sug¬ 
 gested as a 
 class of 
 reward. 
 
 comprehended in classes 14 and 15 of the Exhibition of 
 1867. 
 
 Immediately upon the assembly of the jurors of those 
 classes face to face with the objects they were called upon 
 to judge^ it was recognised that it would be scarcely pos¬ 
 sible to establish^ practically, a strict line of demarcation 
 between what should rightly constitute the hunting 
 grounds ’’ of each ; and it was therefore resolved that all 
 productions should be regarded as common to both which 
 could be assumed as ministering to man’s enjoyment by 
 making his domestic hearth, taken in its widest sense, the 
 abode of beauty. Distinctions which may be perfectly 
 reasonable upon paper and consistent with sound principles 
 of classification, become obviously inapplicable when their 
 limits are overstepped in a great number of objects forming 
 the staple produce of manufacturers whose habit it may be 
 to blend in their trade the various branches artificially 
 separated from one another in a catalogue for the sake of 
 classification. In practice it is indeed most satisfactory 
 that this blending should exist, for without it there would 
 be little chance of any harmonious result in the fitting up 
 of a house. Unless the provinces of the decorator and of 
 the cabinet-maker are to a great extent incorporated there is 
 every likelihood that instead of the labours of the former 
 being subordinated to those of the latter, the effect of the 
 most elaborate furniture will be overpowered by the greater 
 brilliancy of the walls and ceilings ; while, on the other 
 hand, should the decoration be really a work of art, unless 
 the cabinet-maker or upholsterer be a man of taste and self- 
 denial his marqueterie and inlays, and his florid carpets and 
 curtains, will reduce the painter’s work to comparative in¬ 
 sipidity. It is one of the greatest defects of the present 
 Exhibition that the number of those desiring to make a 
 display of their talents has been so great as to make it im¬ 
 possible to accord to any one firm sufficient room for 
 effectually and effectively representing the complete equip¬ 
 ment of an apartment. In fact, the multitude of small ex¬ 
 hibitors in group 3 of the present Exhibition is such as to 
 make it desirable that some steps should be taken to make 
 the relative position of exhibitors rewarded by the jury on 
 the present occasion the basis of prescriptive right to allot¬ 
 ments of space of exceptional extent in any future Ex¬ 
 hibition. To win such a right would at any time, I have 
 little doubt, procure a most active competition and a steady 
 maintenance of excellence, since the conclusion that future 
 success could only be founded on present activity would 
 force itself most keenly on the attention of manufacturers. 
 
Mt. Dighy Wyatt on Decoration^ &g. 
 
 3 
 
 Younger partners would stir up heads of old firms^ who, m^d^by 
 having already carried off golden spoils from the past, are on decoba- 
 apt to get somewhat apathetic with regard to the future, 
 and many a fresh start would result. 
 
 Amongst the germs of such fresh starts ” shown in the CMef novel- 
 present Exhibition, none are more important as affecting ration of 
 the arts of decoration in the future than the new life which IxhSition, 
 in all countries appears to have been infused into the re- T^ri-a-cotta 
 vivais of the manufacture of terra-cotta, of the application Enamel, 
 of enamel and vitrified colours upon earthenware or metallic 
 bases to the general purposes of the decorator, and of the 
 art of mosaic-working in every form. These revivals have 
 as yet most largely affected furniture, ornaments, and 
 decorations for the services of the church —items specially 
 included in class 15 ; but there are many indications that 
 they will be rapidly extended in every direction into civil 
 structures ” of every description, from national museums to 
 ladies'’ boudoirs. 
 
 The materials and the processes of earthenware making and of 
 glazing, and of enamelling and mosaic working, will, no noticing 
 doubt, be duly noticed by tbe reporters on ceramics, metal- til?undlr^' 
 work, and the use of both in structure generally. My raUveîsptct 
 function will, thorefore, be limited to a notice of the ap- only, 
 plication of those processes to decoration generally. 
 
 In enumerating these fresh starts ” terra-cotta has been Terra-cotta, 
 put first because it serves not only by itself as an element 
 of decoration, but as also furnishing the earthenware base 
 for enamel colouring. Italy, the country in which the art of 
 terra-cotta working was carried furthest in the Middle Ages 
 and during the period of the Renaissance, still retains much 
 of its ancient skill ; aad it is to be regretted that Boni, of 
 Milan, alone appeared to be present; while Furlani and 
 Bacci, of Florence ; Papi, of Sienna, Martinoz, of Palermo ; 
 and Vanni, of Impruneta, are unrepresented at the present 
 Exhibition. This is of less consequence since Boni's arch- Italian, 
 way and panelling in the park are very meritorious, and 
 since fine specimens of the productions of several of the 
 absent manufacturers may be studied in the museum at 
 South Kensington. The Italian terra-cottas are soft by 
 comparison with those of France and England, ranking, 
 however, in hardness and resistance to humidity before 
 those of the Eastern nations, and of Portugal and Spain, Spanish. 
 
 It is much to be doubted whether they would stand the 
 alternations of soaking rain and sudden frost which dis¬ 
 tinguish our northern climate. The best French contribution Erench. 
 of terra-cotta is by Virebent, of Toulouse, whose work in 
 former exhibitions has been better than it now is in point 
 
 A 2 
 
4 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Me. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ox Decoea- 
 TION, &c. 
 
 Pi’ussian. 
 
 Austrian. 
 
 English. 
 
 Represented 
 by Messrs. 
 Blanchard, 
 
 and Mr. J. 
 M. Blash- 
 field. 
 
 Work done 
 for the new 
 India OflBce, 
 the Depart¬ 
 ment of 
 Science and 
 Art, the 
 Marquis of 
 Northamp¬ 
 ton. 
 
 of form. My jury also commended the terra-cotta work of 
 Mdme. Veuve de Bay, which is connected with the chapel 
 in the park, and which, as subservient to the decoration of 
 the church, fell within their province. March, of Charlotten- 
 burg, near Berlin, shows, by a large archway in the gallery 
 of machines, how well fitted he is to cope with the supply 
 of architectural terra-cotta work upon the most massive 
 scale. His goods (as are those by Drasche, of Vienna) are 
 extraordinarily cheap. Those who remember Schinkel’s 
 Bau- Academie at Berlin will be assured that good terra¬ 
 cotta work is no novelty in Prussia. 
 
 In England, as is well known, the old establishment of 
 Coade, for which Bacon and other sculptors worked so much, 
 produced a great quantity of bold terra-cotta ; but, after 
 the decline of that firm, for a considerable period the art 
 languished. Sparks of the old fire still lingered in the 
 embers of such firms as that of Messrs. Blanchard ; and 
 these have been blown into a new life by the rapidly- 
 increasing demand for some material more durable than most 
 of the common building stones under the deteriorating 
 infiuences of such an atmosphere as that of London. To no 
 one is the revival of the art of terra-cotta making more 
 indebted than to Mr. J. M. Blashfield, of Stamford. His 
 acquaintance with the constituents of the English clays and 
 with their treatment by the addition of foreign substances so 
 as to obtain perfect vitrification without distortion ; his 
 elaborate experiments upon the best forms of kilns, fuel, 
 cooling, &c. ; and especially his natural taste for sculpture 
 and for models of the purest form only, have borne good 
 fruit in England, and raised the manufacture into one of 
 really national importance. His exhibition this year appeared 
 to the juries of classes 14 and 15 to be so important to 
 classes 17 and 65 that it was determined that he should be 
 referred to them ; but great admiration was expressed for 
 his large mediæval window for Dulwich new college, from 
 designs by Mr. Charles Barry ; his chimney-piece, executed 
 for the new India Office, and for many other admirable 
 specimens of his skill ; not omitting the base of the large 
 compartment of terra-cotta work executed for the Depart¬ 
 ment of Science and Art, and exhibited in the outer circle 
 of the building. It is to be regretted that his limitation as 
 to space prevented his contributing some of the great garden 
 decorations he has executed from my designs for the 
 Marquis of Northampton, at Castle Ashby. These, in¬ 
 cluding the entrance-gate piers, are as yet, I believe, 
 unequalled for extent and excellence of manufacture by 
 any terra-cotta work done in England. This work will. 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Decoration, &c. 
 
 5 
 
 however, have to yield the place of honour to the immense Me. digby 
 works done, in progress and projected, for the buildings of on^ecoka- 
 the Horticultural Society, the great central Royal Albert 
 Hall of Arts and Sciences, and the buildings of the Depart¬ 
 ment of Science and Art. What has been as yet done has 
 been mainly executed by Messrs. Blanchard, and in a style 
 which reflects great credit upon the skill and dexterity of 
 the firm. Many of the ingenious arrangements for the Services 
 adaptation of the terra-cotta work for structural purposes bT^Captain 
 were due to poor Captain Fowke, while to Mr. Godfrey Mr^Gol&ey 
 Sykes we are indebted for much very beautiful design and Sykes. 
 modelling. Both, alas ! have died too early for their country 
 and their friends. Of the success of the united efforts of 
 Captain Fowke, Mr. Sykes, and Mr. Blanchard, the Depart¬ 
 ment of Sconce and Art gives admirable evidence, both in 
 the outer zone in the building, and in the testing-house in 
 the park. In these fine specimens the ornamental portions 
 —as, for instance, the figures and foliage, and their com¬ 
 bination in contrast with lines of mouldings and inclosing 
 forms—leave little to be desired ; and it is rather in the 
 quantity of the architectural parts, in the balance of the 
 due proportion to be maintained between functional and 
 non-functional components of the structure, that the result 
 falls short of perfection. After allowing for such small 
 defects, there yet remains behind ample evidence of daring 
 novelty and general capacity ; and all who may hereafter 
 perhaps improve upon these experiments (for such, though 
 conducted upon a vast scale, they were) will have reason to 
 be thankful that they were made, and so healthy an impulse 
 given to the manufacture at a moment when it most un¬ 
 questionably needed it. 
 
 In Austria, Henri Drasche, of Vienna, makes a very 
 effective though unequal show in the park. Four of his byDrasch<^. 
 candelabra, after a very good model, and two or three of his 
 vases, of which some have twisted a little in cooling, are 
 beyond the average of such goods in all respects. 
 
 The next stage in adapting terra-cotta for decorative use, Terra-cottas 
 consisting in giving it an enamelled surface upon which Sameiied 
 vitrifiable colour may be floated, has been well attained in 
 every country from the East to the West. In Prussia, Prussian, 
 perhaps, more successfully than in any other, since nothing 
 can excel the admirable white stoves of several of her 
 leading manufacturers. These are, however, quite equalled 
 by a capital specimen shown by O, H. Akerlind, of Stock¬ 
 holm. The reporter upon ceramic art will, no doubt dwell Swedish, 
 upon the amazing development which has taken place in the 
 revival of all the old processes of faience,'’ majolica,” and 
 
6 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Me. Di»by 
 Wyatt 
 
 ON DECOEA' 
 TION, &C. 
 
 English. 
 
 French. 
 
 Excellent 
 reproduc¬ 
 tions of 
 Persian and 
 Palissy 
 faience in 
 Prance,— 
 
 And original 
 works. 
 
 French 
 Sèvres. 
 Faience 
 pictures on 
 the “ dis¬ 
 sected map ” 
 system. 
 
 mezzo-majolica.’’ We in .England have mainly taken up 
 encaustic tile-making, and imitation of the Azuleijos of 
 Spain, in which Minton and Maw so greatly excel ; while 
 in France the faiences de Perse have engaged most attention ; 
 and next to them the revival of faience à la Bernard de 
 Palissy. Of the former of these two, in its application to 
 decorative purposes, the Imperial Manufacture of Sèvres, 
 and the exhibits of MM. Deck, Oollinot, Rousseau, Laurent, 
 Utzschneider, and Mace, furnish most admirable specimens; 
 and of the latter the exhibits of MM. Avisseau, Signoret, 
 Jean, Barbizet, and Pull. By the last-named a chimney- 
 piece in the faience court, imitated from a well-known one 
 by Bernard de Palissy, in the Louvre, has been manufac¬ 
 tured as a tour de force. Both these revivals are so 
 successful as to deceive the eyes of any but accomplished 
 connoisseurs, and for every decorative purpose, for which 
 the originals were ever employed, these reproductions of the 
 nineteenth century are equally available. 
 
 It is somewhat unjust to French ingenuity and talent to 
 characterise all that has been produced in these branches of 
 industry as reproductions ” only. It is one of the special 
 characteristics of the Gallic temperament that it can never 
 be satisfied with simple reproduction. Of this tendency I 
 had many amusing instances in endeavouring to keep the 
 French sculptors of ornament to a strict restoration of frag¬ 
 ments, damaged in the original models, of the portions of 
 monuments set up in the courts of the Crystal Palace. It 
 was scarcely possible to turn one’s back for a few hours 
 without finding, on returning, that the workman had been 
 attempting to smuggle in a little motif,” as he called it, of 
 his own. A comparison of the style de l’Empire ” with 
 real classical work will at once prove how hard it is for a 
 Frenchman to copy when he has the slightest chance of 
 originating. In industrial art this tendency is an element 
 of progress of inestimable value ; but I may be pardoned 
 for noticing here that it is tending every day, in the in¬ 
 sidious guise of restoration,” to the destruction of the 
 value in relation to the history of art of the ornamental, 
 and in some cases of the structural, details of almost all the 
 great relics of decorative art in France. May there long 
 be averted from our royal and noble tombs and monuments 
 the operations which those of France have in some cases 
 undergone, and with which in others they are threatened ! 
 
 To return to the details of these ceramic revivals, the 
 student will do well to observe a process which unites the 
 use of enamelled faience with the principle of mosaic work 
 on the opus sectile ” system of the Romans. Of this two 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Decoration^ &c. 
 
 7 
 
 ambitious examples will be found on the walls of the Sèvres 
 Court, paintedbyno less able an artist than Yvon. The method 
 of working has this in common with that by means of which 
 a picture in stained glass is produced, that in both the artist 
 makes his cartoon, and so arranges his composition that the 
 whole surface of the picture may be cut up into a number 
 of pieces, without allowing any of the lines in which the 
 cuts are to be made to interfere with the leading forms or 
 surfaces. Pieces of common earthenware in the one case, 
 and of glass in the other, are then cut out, or otherwise 
 made to correspond with the various portions into which 
 the original design, or cartoon, may have been subdivided. 
 The earthenware is then floated over with a white enamel, 
 and handed over, as the glass is, to an artist to paint in 
 vitrifiable colours until each piece is made to correspond 
 with its model in the cartoon ; after which both are passed 
 through the kiln and fired to make the colouring permanent. 
 The glass is then handed over to the glazier, whose lead 
 lines fall exactly into those of the subdivisions of the car¬ 
 toon ; and the earthenware to a mason, who fixes the several 
 pieces against the surface to be decorated, and then points 
 up ’’ his joints, which correspond in all respects with those 
 of the lead lines of the glass picture, excepting that many 
 of the minute subdivisions, separating colour from colour, 
 which are necessary for the transparent may be omitted for 
 the opaque picture. This method of making up opaque 
 pictures was, and still is, practised in Persia and India, and 
 by all the minor Orientals whose arts are founded on those 
 great fountain-heads cf art-inspiration ; but the use of this 
 mosaic arrangement of plaques of faience is by them gene¬ 
 rally restricted to ornament and the formation of different 
 compartments for the reception of ornament. 
 
 The pictures in question, in spite of the reputation of the 
 painter, are not in all respects satisfactory, but they are 
 sufficiently so to prove the efficiency of the process ; and I 
 cannot but believe that for our climate, in which frescoes do 
 not appear to be able to live, this process appears to offer 
 almost the only means by which the painter’s art can be 
 combined with the sculptor's and architect’s in monumental 
 structures, at any rate, externally. It is one by means of 
 which the artist realises his own conception, instead of its 
 having to pass, as it were, through the more or less perfect 
 translation ” of the pictorial mosaic worker ; its permanence 
 ought certainly to equal that of any mosaic ; and it ought 
 to be produced, at the utmost, at one third of the price of 
 a mosaic rendering of the same theme in the same colours. 
 It appears to me specially available for painting in grisaille ” 
 
 !Mk. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, &c 
 
 Analogy of 
 process with 
 that by 
 which 
 pictures in 
 stained glass 
 are pro¬ 
 duced. 
 
 Process of 
 
 Eastern 
 
 origin. 
 
 Perma¬ 
 
 nence, 
 
 and cheap¬ 
 ness of the 
 process ; 
 
8 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mk. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 its suita¬ 
 bility for 
 England. 
 
 Suggested 
 reproduc¬ 
 tion of 
 E-affaellé’s 
 cartoons by 
 means of it, 
 in combina¬ 
 tion with 
 photo¬ 
 graphy. 
 
 Rousseau’s 
 
 specimens. 
 
 Ingredients 
 procurable 
 for experi¬ 
 menting. 
 
 Improve¬ 
 ments in 
 Maw’s and 
 Minton’s 
 majolica. 
 
 Painted 
 
 or camaieu/' as in either of those methods the joints, when 
 pointed up in the fundamental colour, might be made to 
 almost entirely melt into the general tones of the picture. 
 It is, in fact, a process for which there exists, I believe, a very 
 considerable future ; and I can conceive few more excellent 
 ways of educating some young students or artists in England 
 than would be afforded by setting them to reproduce—with 
 the assistance of photographs, full size, of the various heads 
 and principal parts, which might possibly be transferred to 
 the surface of the white enamel by the process of M. Jou- 
 bert, or by some other, such as that shown by M. Poyard, of 
 Paris—the cartoons of Raphael. Very slight modifications, 
 as in large masses of monochrome drapery, would be neces¬ 
 sary to adapt these compositions for reproduction in coloured 
 faience ; and once burnt and fixed to the walls, say of the 
 new buildings for the Departmènt of Science and Art or of 
 the proposed Albert Hall, we should have succeeded in 
 placing on record, in an all but imperishable form, those 
 great masterpieces whose existence only upon perishable 
 paper or in imperfectly-executed tapestries gives but a poor 
 pledge for their future perfect preservation. 
 
 Already this method is passing in France from the 
 establishments of- the State to the ateliers of private in¬ 
 dustry, and a very fair sample of what may be readily 
 produced therein is shown by Mr. E. Rousseau, of Paris. 
 It may possibly be useful to amateurs and others who may 
 desire to make experiments in the by no means difficult art 
 of painting on faience, to know that colours duly fritted ’’ 
 may be procured in Paris of M. Guyonnet-Colville, Rue des 
 Vinaigriers, No. 34, or of M. Lacroix, Rue Parmentier, 
 No. 8, who exhibit very perfect specimens. Those who may 
 desire to go more closely into the whole of the technical 
 processes may be referred to an excellent work by M. 
 Salvetat, principal chemist to the Imperial manufactory at 
 Sevres.* 
 
 In our own country the tiles of Maw and Minton are too 
 well known and too much used to need notice here ; it is 
 enough to say that both were excellent and highly appre¬ 
 ciated by foreigners, who recognized a marked advance since 
 1862 in the evenness and brilliancy of the transparent 
 enamel colours used on the majolica tiles of the first-named 
 house. In Portugal some very good common faience tiles 
 were shown. In France, however, the progress made has 
 been most rapid, and the tiles made in imitation of old 
 Persian examples are first-rate in quality and effect. Some 
 
 “Leçons de Céramique Professés à l’Ecole Centrale des Arts et Métiers.*’ 
 Paris : Eugène Lacroix. 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Decoration, &c. 
 
 9 
 
 of the large fiiience plaques painted by artists of the first 
 distinction, such as Hamon, Anker, Ranvier, Lessore, and 
 Bouquet, are both of large dimension and admirable design, 
 realized in the liveliest colouring, and with a happy freedom 
 of handling wliich betrays the dexterity of the highly edu¬ 
 cated and accomplished artist. The little landscapes by the 
 last named are extraordinarily full and brilliant. Such 
 plâques are veritable pictures, and for insertion in archi¬ 
 tectural frames, as for over-doors, in chimney-pieces, or 
 simply as panels enclosed in a modest framework of mould¬ 
 ings formed upon the surface of external or internal walls, 
 nothing could be more suitable for our climate, or more likely 
 to produce agreeable and permanent effect in decoration. 
 Similar plaques, with more or less brilliancy of colouring and 
 excellence of drawing, are shown by Wedgwood and Minton, 
 of England, and by Dutch and Belgian manufacturers. 
 
 Gille Jeune has a chimney-piece entirely in china, the 
 design of which is unpleasing, but in which the manufac¬ 
 turing difficulties have been well overcome. Charles Poyard’s 
 burnt-in photography on the surface of china is perfect in 
 black, umber, brown, and Pompeian red ; and his successful 
 experiments show us that the chiaroscuro, being rendered 
 in either of those tones, may be floated over with enamel 
 colours, so as to produce a fully tinted picture at a very 
 moderate cost. 
 
 H. Pinart exhibits the results of a process calculated to 
 greatly facilitate the labours of the amateur. He prepares a 
 liquid into which the terra-cotta object is dipped. As soon 
 as this liquid is dry, which takes place in a few minutes, he 
 proceeds to paint upon it with colours which he prepares. 
 The painting finished, the object is consigned to a furnace, 
 in which it is baked. The result is that one operation fixes 
 the ground and the colours, and leaves upon the surface a 
 light and agreeable glaze. The colours in the kiln slightly 
 blend with the stanniferous enamel covering (corresponding 
 to the adobe of mezzo-majolica) and produce an agreeable 
 effect of transparency. Jean, of the Boulevard Malesherbes, 
 Paris, employs the original clay of Ne vers, and, by means of 
 its use, has succeeded in giving great hardness to his pro¬ 
 ductions, both in the clay and in the subsequent application 
 of the enamel colours. He exhibits a torchère,” some 8 ft. 
 high, in which he has overcome many very great difficulties 
 in the potter’s a.rt ; and a fountain of large dimensions, of 
 which the design and colouring are remarkably good. 
 Signoret, of Nevers, also works the old Nivernais clay suc¬ 
 cessfully, and his large cistern” has the real chic” of an 
 old specimen. 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 English, 
 Dutch, and 
 Belgian. 
 
 French ex¬ 
 hibitors. 
 Gille Jeune. 
 
 Poyard. 
 
 Pinart. 
 
 Jean. 
 
 Signoret. 
 
10 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mb. Digi^by 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decoka- 
 
 TION, &C. 
 
 Collinot. 
 
 Deck. 
 
 Enamels on 
 metal basea. 
 
 On iron. 
 
 French. 
 
 English. 
 
 In 1849. 
 
 Now. 
 
 Future of 
 the trade. 
 
 Baugh & Co. 
 £. Paris. 
 
 I cannot quit this branch of the decorative aspect of 
 faience without commenting specially on the invention and 
 genius displayed by M. Collinot. An old officier en 
 
 retraite/" this gentleman has profited by his studies in 
 Algeria and the East, while in service, to found now in his 
 retirement an admirable industry. In a small pavilion within 
 the building he has so grouped specimens of his imitations of 
 Oriental faience as to demonstrate the part they may be 
 made to play in architectural embellishment. His Persian 
 tile wall linings, his little fountain niche, his vases with 
 decorations in colour incrustés,’" and the cornice columns 
 and window of his pavilion are worthy of most careful study, 
 and are more* truly inspirés de l’Orient than the work of 
 any other manufacturer of a similar class of goods, except 
 perhaps M. Deck. The estimation in which his productions 
 are held in Paris is proved by their immediate sale, at good 
 prices, to persons known to possess most highly cultivated taste. 
 
 Turning now to the employment of enamel colours on 
 metallic bases, it is right to observe that this art is one 
 which has never fallen quite into desuetude ; but, on the 
 other hand, it has never yet taken up the position which is, 
 I believe, reserved for it in industrial art. As early as the 
 date of the Parisian Exposition of 1849, the Koyal manu¬ 
 factory of Sevres ' exhibited one or two large sheets of 
 wrought iron covered with artistic paintings in enamel in 
 grisaille, in imitation of the enamels of Reymon, Ponce, and 
 other masters of the latter part of the sixteenth and the 
 beginning of the seventeenth centuries ; and at each exhibi¬ 
 tion since that date exceptional evidence of the power to 
 supply a demand for such goods, should it arise, was 
 manifested. The English had contemporaneously, and stea¬ 
 dily, exhibited their power to supply a similar demand ; but 
 their products were limited to the manufacture of objects of 
 domestic utility. 
 
 Mr. Cole and I examined the Sèvres enamels on iron 
 together attentively in 1849, and on our return we both, I 
 believe, endeavoured to induce manufacturers to take up 
 this branch of production. The future we both foresaw 
 for such art workmanship ; which would not, however, be 
 suddenly called into existence at our bidding. Time alone 
 was wanting. 
 
 On the present occasion both nations show that the long- 
 expected demand has arisen, and there is no doubt that a 
 great trade will soon grow up in iron plates enamelled and 
 painted, not only for lettering, signboards, name-plates, &c. 
 but for ornamental tablets of all kinds available for introduc¬ 
 tion into the decoration of buildings and furniture. Messrs. 
 
Mr. Ligby Wyatt on Decoration^ &c. 
 
 11 
 
 Baugh and Co. of Birmingham, and Messrs. E. Paris, of MK.DiaBY 
 Bercy, near Paris, make an almost exactly similar class of on^coea- 
 goods, and their businesses are increasing most rapidly. The 
 Department of Science and Art, with a most laudable activity, 
 has been endeavouring to direct this branch of manufacture 
 in England into a more artistic line than it might have other¬ 
 wise assumed, and exhibits an interesting specimen of an 
 application of iron enamelled plates, decorated with diaper 
 patterns, to the formation of ornamental fireproof ceilings. 
 
 By this method of construction, instead of using wooden 
 laths between the iron joists of the floor, and making the 
 floor of concrete and the ceiling of plaster, the enamelled Mr. Cole's 
 ceiling supports the concrete and supersedes the plastering.’’ meUed^ 
 Such is Mr. Cole’s description of his idea, and he adds that 
 such ceilings may be made either of pottery or of iron 
 enamelled. They are much more easily cleaned, and are 
 more fireproof than the old mode, and admit of any 
 amount of decoration that may be required.” Care should, 
 of course, be taken in using such ceilings, to guard against 
 any disagreeable consequences resulting from rapid conden¬ 
 sation upon the surface of the enamel, and in their construc¬ 
 tion from overweighting the enamel plates with concrete, 
 causing the plates to bag ” and bulge.” The idea is a 
 good one, and will, no doubt, be improved upon and made 
 largely serviceable. Should we ever have a new National 
 Gallery, it would be peculiarly suited for use in its construc¬ 
 tion. It is to be regretted that Messrs. Baugh and Co., of 
 Birmingham, by whom the plates made for this ceiling were 
 manufactured, should not have exhibited on their own 
 account, as I believe that the display of such an ornamental 
 roof as that which they have lately put up over Mr. Charles 
 Buxton’s drinking-fountain at the corner of Great George- 
 street, Westminster, misapplied as it certainly appears there, 
 would have been one of the most important novelties as 
 affecting the future of external decoration in England. 
 
 Their absence is, in some degree, compensated for by the Mr. Skid- 
 presence of Mr. Skidmore, whose very important works in ^o^ts. 
 ornamental metal-work combined with enamelling, for the 
 monument to the late Prince Consort, and for much eccle¬ 
 siastical furniture and decoration, show strong indications of 
 the rapid progress which has been lately made in England 
 towards a general utilisation of the processes of enamelling 
 on metal bases. It may be especially noted that Messrs. 
 
 E. Paris and Co., of Bercy, show specimens of enamelling 
 upon cast, as well as upon wrought iron. 
 
 It is in the perfection of the artistic decoration of such Miniature 
 enamels upon a small scale that the French have of late 
 
12 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Ms. Di&bt 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decoea- 
 TION, &C. 
 
 Lepec. 
 
 Meyer. 
 
 Cloisonné 
 
 enamels. 
 
 Christoflc, 
 
 Barbe- 
 
 dienne. 
 
 Champs 
 
 levés 
 
 enamels, 
 
 Thierry, 
 
 Rusand. 
 
 Others by 
 
 Dotin, &c. 
 
 Suggestions 
 for develop¬ 
 ment of 
 artistic 
 enamelling 
 in England. 
 
 made such great strides. The beautiful enamels of Lepec 
 are painted with a richer palette, and with more subtle 
 eff'ects of metallic lustre and translucency, than any enamels, 
 ancient or modern, which I have ever yet had an opportunity 
 of seeing. He is an artist of first-rate merit, and his pro¬ 
 ductions (the best of which are noble commissions from 
 Mr. Alfred Morrison) will hereafter be treasured in 
 museums of the history of labour,” with the most precious 
 relics of Leonard Limousin, Courtois, and other great 
 masters of the French Kenaissance. While Lepec’s style is 
 altogether original, the extraordinary spirit of these masters’ 
 work is perfectly imitated by M. Alfred Meyer, an artist 
 attached to the Imperial manufactory at Sevres. Amongst 
 his works a series of small decorative panels adapted for use 
 by jewellers, and a larger panel suitable for insertion into a 
 cabinet or other piece of furniture, and representing the 
 head of a lady, with an inscription beneath commencing with 
 the words Sola manet virtus,” are worthy of the most 
 careful study by those who would desire to revive this 
 branch of the art of enamel-painting in England. The apti¬ 
 tude of the French, for the perfect imitation of the cloisonne 
 enamels of the Byzantine Greeks is shown capitally by 
 Chrlstofle and Barbedienne, for the reproduction of the 
 German and Limoges Mediæval Champs levés enamels by 
 Thierry and Poussielgue Rusand, and for that of the works 
 of the later French enameiiers by Dotin, Robillard, and 
 Chariot—all art workmen of remarkable skill, and whose 
 productions daily deceive in the bric-a-brac ” market (as 
 do those of Salviati and Cortilazzo in other departments) all 
 but the most accomplished connoisseurs. 
 
 I have dwelt with more enthusiasm upon the works of 
 these artists because I know full well how easy it would be 
 in England to rival, if not excel them. The multitude of 
 admirable woodcut illustrations which appear week by week 
 in England prove incontestably that we have an abundance 
 of young artists perfectly capable of doing such work if some 
 of them would but pay attention to the few simple processes 
 essential to be mastered; and, if this evidence should be 
 insufficient, the progress made of late years in the designing 
 and execution of stained glass would indicate our national 
 capability to excel in any similar class of production. What 
 is really wanting in England in the decorative arts at the 
 present moment is far more intelligent demand than capable 
 producers. It is, however, scarcely just to complain when 
 such a wonderful awakening to what is good has taken place 
 within the last ten years on the part of both buyers and 
 producers. Of one thing at least I am certain, that, rapid as 
 
Mr, Dighy Wyatt on Decoration^ &c. 
 
 13 
 
 may have been the progress of all other countries in this me. digey 
 direction over the same term of years, and whatever may be onDecora- 
 the position of England as to the diffusion of taste and the 
 popular correct judgment of beauty, our advance has been 
 relatively more rapid than that of any country ; and in no 
 land are the prospects of that advance proving continuous 
 and strenuous more auspicious than in our own. What is 
 specially observable in France at the present time is the 
 prevalent combination of a general intellectual activity of 
 interest in the fine and decorative arts of the hour, with a 
 corresponding lively appreciation of the past. The French 
 designer is always seeking de s’inspirer ”—to pick up from 
 the past something which he may use in the present. He 
 recognizes the fact that novelty can be rarely anything but 
 re-combination ; and that, addressing himself to the gratifi¬ 
 cation of the tastes of those whose eyes have been educated 
 on the enjoyment of the best works by which they have been 
 surrounded in the monuments of France from their earliest 
 age, he can scarcely please unless his ideas are more or less 
 cast in the moulds to which his clients have been accustomed. 
 
 This it is which leads modern French designers to such a 
 reverential conservation of the styles of Louis XIV., XV., 
 and XVI., with all their naïvetés, bergeries, chinoiseries, 
 
 &c. The style Cul de lampe aux vignettes vaporisées ” is 
 never likely to be much less popular in France than it is 
 now, or than it was when Boucher, Vien, Vanloo, Le Clerc, 
 
 Eisen, Marinier, Gravelôt, and other charming artists 
 brought it first into vogue. We, being a little wanting in 
 the possession of such rich traditions of decorative excellence 
 as the French possess, should but the more energetically 
 exert ourselves to create something in the present which may 
 supply the deficiency in the future. We have only to con¬ 
 tinue to improve in the next ten years as we have in the last 
 ten years and the thing will be done. 
 
 We may now proceed to ‘Gake stock” of the remark- Mosaic, 
 able revival which presents itself in the shape of mosaic 
 work, an art for the general resumption of which I have 
 long foreseen an almost inevitable necessity. For the last Its revival 
 20 years everything has been steadily tending in that direc- 
 tion. When I first visited Italy in the year 1845, carrying 
 with me a strong sense of the kind of fruit which must grow 
 from the seed I saw Welby Pugin, Eastlake, Dyce, and 
 Owen Jones planting, I at once recognised in mosaic the 
 special desideratum for our necessities in the art line, under 
 the peculiar conditions of our abounding smoke and damp. 
 
 On my return in the year 1847, at a meeting of the Royal 
 Institute of British Architects, I stated that I saw no reason 
 
14 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mb. DiasT 
 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, &o. 
 
 Its special 
 value in our 
 climate. 
 
 Its various 
 processes. 
 
 whatever why we should not carry out in the various pro¬ 
 cesses of mosaic exactly what the Greeks and Latins 
 “ practised of old.’^ In 1862 I stated in the same room that 
 if I was justified in that remark in 1847, I am more than 
 justified now ; for, happily, many practical difficulties 
 formerly existing have been removed, and convictions as 
 to the eligibility of the revival entertained by a few then 
 are now heartily sympathised with by many, able not to 
 dream and desire only, but to work and to do.” So 
 strongly, indeed, is the current now setting in, that I feel 
 convinced it will be ere long incumbent on every architect 
 practising in the higher walks of the profession to make 
 himself acquainted with the best mode of dealing with what, 
 when once adopted, will, I do not doubt, become the most 
 popular means of adding the graces of colour to the refine¬ 
 ments of form and proportion. Mural painting must, in our 
 climate, ever have to contend with elements certain to 
 shorten its ephemeral beauty. If attempted in real fresco, 
 damp, fog, and frost speedily fasten upon its very vitals, 
 tending to set the lime against the oxides and other pigments, 
 which in time are eaten away, as even in Italy we frequently 
 see them, into nothingness. Fresco secco ” is still less per¬ 
 manent. Tempera, or distemper, I need not waste a word 
 upon. Oil or encaustic painting involves the use of vehicles, 
 darkening, turning yellow, shrinking irregularly, and ulti¬ 
 mately often detaching themselves from the ground to which 
 they are applied. What, then, is left to us if we would 
 have our decorations live after we have ceased to live, but 
 those processes over the most delicate and the boldest 
 pictures produced by which experience has proved that a 
 thousand years may pass and steal no grace away ” ? 
 
 Upon the nature, varieties, aspects, capabilities, and uses 
 of these various processes, great confusion exists in the 
 minds of the general public, and they are, indeed, well 
 known only to a minority of those who will very shortly 
 have to deal with them as everyday elements of decorative 
 effect. It may therefore not be useless to enter upon this 
 subject in some little detail historically, promising not to 
 similarly commit myself in any other section of this report. 
 Believing that it may be well to extend to a general auditory 
 the information already given to a professional one, I do not 
 hesitate to condense from a paper I read not long ago before 
 the members of the Boyal Institute of British Architects, a 
 few particulars touching the main historical phases of pic¬ 
 torial mosaic, of revivals of almost all of which specimens 
 may be seen in the International Exhibition. These I 
 believe to have been the following seven: -viz., 1st, clas- 
 
Mr, Digby Wyatt on Decoration, &c. 
 
 15 
 
 sical; 2nd^ Latin; 3rd, Byzantine; 4th, Greco-Italian ; 6th, 
 Italian monumental; 6th, Italian portable; 7th, mosaic in 
 pietre dure. 
 
 The first or classical is well known in its general aspect ; 
 but as the foundation of all the other styles, it demands a 
 somewhat closer view ; the more especially, I think, because 
 this closer view may enable the architect to realize some 
 distinctive features in ancient decoration revealed to us 
 through no branch of art more distinctly than through 
 mosaic. In the Roman decoration of Imperial times two 
 distinct schools may be traced ; the one most ancient— 
 founded on Egyptian, Dorian, and Etruscan models—chiefly 
 affecting monochrome combinations of black and red or buff, 
 or delicately coloured subjects and ornaments on uniformly 
 flat grounds ; and the other rejoicing in the glowing tints 
 and golden and spangled grounds of the East, popularized 
 after the spoils of Ionian, Corinthian, Phœnician, and Syrian 
 magnificence had given that taste for gorgeous costume which 
 led to the substitution of the Babylonian embroidery and 
 figured tissues in costume and wall hangings for the simpler 
 stuffs indulged in during the Republican ages. Whether the 
 art of fabricating gold ground mosaic was of Oriental dis¬ 
 covery, or whether, as is more likely, it was derived from the 
 north of Africa, the nursery of the glass and enamel trade, are 
 as yet unsettled points ; but that it was freely adopted in 
 Imperial times is proved by the various specimens still 
 existing at Pompeii and Naples. It is certainly curious to 
 remark how devoted the ancients were to tesselation as a 
 system, whether in the finest or coarsest examples. Large 
 surfaces of uniform colour are invariably made up of small 
 cubes, little varying in size in any portion of the work. No 
 special labour is bestowed on fine joints, and no effort is 
 made to disguise their effect by using coloured cement 
 stoppings. The jointing was evidently accepted as an artistic 
 convention, and with good taste and judgment it was kept 
 regular, so as to prevent its distracting the eye from the pic¬ 
 tured forms. Its lines were invariably made to subserve, by 
 contrast, the effect of the flowing contours wrought by means 
 of it ; and no effort was made, by the use of large slabs 
 combined with tesserae, to save the labour or expense con¬ 
 sequent on reducing the whole to one uniform gauge of size 
 or rectangularity. This reduction of all to a common 
 modulus is one of the sources of that appearance of flatness 
 and repose which peculiarly marks all well designed pictorial 
 mosaic. Such regularity is infinitely more important than 
 fineness of work. The best specimens of the value of this 
 adherence to gauge over large plain surfaces with which I 
 
 Mb. Digbt 
 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 I. The 
 
 classical 
 
 phase. 
 
 Its leading 
 subdivi¬ 
 sions. 
 
 Original 
 
 processes. 
 
 Appearance. 
 
16 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Me. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 Chief speci¬ 
 mens. 
 
 Ultimate 
 
 processes. 
 
 II. The 
 Latin phase. 
 
 am acquainted are those noble black and white pavements and 
 wall and vault linings which abounded in the baths of Cara- 
 calla, at Rome. To those familiar with such mosaics as those 
 of the ^^Battle of Issus/' from Pompeii ; of Pliny’s Doves/’ 
 in the museum of the Capitol at Rome ; of the fine pavement 
 found amidst the ruins of Hadrian’s villa, at Tivoli, now 
 in the Hall of Masks in the Vatican; of the splendid 
 arabesques and head of Minerva brought from the site of 
 Cicero’s village at Tusculum, and now in the Hall of the 
 Greek Cross, it is needless to state that in all that constitutes 
 perfection in graphic imitation the fine opus vermiculatum of 
 the ancients left nothing to be desired. Not only were form 
 represented by light and shade, and local hues expressed by 
 positive colour, but the utmost refinement of gradation of warm 
 and cool tones, in shadow tints and reflected lights, were 
 accurately copied from nature. Even in that curious mosaic 
 removed from the Temple of Fortune to the Barberini 
 Palace at the ancient Præneste, now Palestrina, in which the 
 learned have recognized the identical primitive specimen 
 referred to by Pliny, in the words Lithostrata cœptavere 
 sub Sylla æxtat quod in Fortunæ delubro Præneste fecit,” 
 a great variety of colouring and much minute execution in 
 the animals, figures, and landscape are to be observed. For 
 the production of' such vivid and varied tints natural, self- 
 coloured materials, such as marbles, stones, &c. could not 
 suffice ; and the skill of the glassworker was therefore pressed 
 into service to enrich the mosaic worker’s palate. For 
 him not only were vitreous pastes prepared, glowing with 
 every colour of the rainbow, but chemical processes foi' 
 staining and tinting natural materials were brought into use ; 
 and, finally, the vitreous pastes were overlaid with gold, 
 covered in its turn by a thin film of pure white glass, which 
 effectually secured the metal surface from contact with 
 noxious gases or damp vapours. Not content with applying 
 his incrustation to plane surfaces, the mosaic worker learnt 
 also to adapt it to the lining of domes and vaulting, as well 
 as to the varied forms of basso-relievo. In this country, 
 among the Pembroke marbles at Wilton, we possess one of 
 the few specimens known of this curious mosaic, which was 
 at once sculpture and painting. Nor is it in such exceptional 
 productions only that we are rich, since, in the more ordinary 
 kinds of pictorial mosaic, in which figure subjects are com¬ 
 bined with flowing and conventional ornament, the soil of 
 this country has teemed with valuable relics of the Roman 
 occupation of our island. 
 
 The second variety of pictorial mosaic may be designated 
 as Latiriy since it long retained the marked peculiarities of 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Decoration^ &c. 
 
 17 
 
 style which distinguish Latin from Byzantine art. Thus, 
 not in the choice of objects only, but in the retention of the 
 ruddy flesh tints, the deep brown shadows, and the stumpy 
 figures and simple costume of the decline of Boman painting, 
 do such mosaics as those of the fifth century at Santa Sabina, 
 Santa Maria Maggiore, and San Paolo Fuori delle Mura, at 
 Borne, differ from later specimens executed at the same city, 
 if not by Greeks alone at least by a preponderance of Greeks 
 over the direct descendants of the original classical mosaicists. 
 M. Barbet de Jouy, of the Louvre, who has profoundly 
 studied the subject, remarks that the mosaics executed 
 from the time of Constantine to the Pontificate of 
 Nicholas L (a.d. 858) do not possess the Byzantine 
 character/' This, though partially correct, is far too 
 sweeping an assertion ; it suffices, however, to show that the 
 separation in classification of Latin from Byzantine style in 
 mosaics is essential to preserve a correct idea of real, not 
 fanciful, distinctions. The earliest Christian Latin mosaic 
 known is that which lines the vaulting of the little baptistery 
 of Santa Costanza, adjoining the basilica of St. Agnese, and 
 dates from the age of Constantine. It would be extremely 
 difficult to say which was the latest. 
 
 The more closely the matter is studied, the more evident 
 it becomes that a distinct Latin influence in the history of 
 art is to be traced running beside, mingling with, but never 
 altogether losing its identity in, the great tide of progress 
 which swept from a thousand springs and sources over the 
 whole continent of mediæval Europe. Thus, amongst ex¬ 
 isting remains of the Middle Ages, we may point to three in 
 particular, in which many of the Latin peculiarities of 
 mosaic-working have been faithfully preserved to a com¬ 
 paratively late date : one in the north of Italy, and the other 
 two in that district over which we may frequently recognise 
 traces of the influence exercised by the long-flourishing 
 Latin schools of Aix-la- Chapelle and Cologne. In the 
 pavement of the cathedral at Novara, a work executed at 
 intervals, probably between the beginning of the twelfth and 
 the middle of the thirteenth centuries, we meet with a very 
 fair reproduction of a black and white classical pavement. 
 In various medallions are birds and allegorical figures, in 
 some of which may be observed the coincidence which 
 occurs between the tesselation of the Novara pavement and 
 that of the ancient pavements of Pompeii, such as I have 
 sought to reproduce in the Crystal Palace at Sydenham. It 
 is probable that a somewhat similar mosaic pavement, with 
 figures representing Bhetoric, Logic, Prudence, &c. and a 
 zodiac, was formerly in the Church of St. Irene, at Lyons, 
 
 20406.-20. B 
 
 Me. 
 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decoba- 
 
 TION, &C. 
 
 Descended 
 by tradition 
 f rom the 
 original 
 classical. 
 
 Early speci¬ 
 mens at 
 Rome. 
 
 Late speci¬ 
 mens at 
 Novara. 
 
 Lyons. 
 
18 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Me. DiasT 
 Wyatt 
 oif Decoea- 
 TION, &c. 
 
 Rftvenna, 
 
 Omer. 
 
 Arms. 
 
 a city in the neighbourhood of which many fine classical 
 mosaics existed which might have well served as models for 
 this mediæval specimen of tesselation. 
 
 From observations and inquiries which I made at Ravenna 
 in the autumn of 1865 I have every reason to believe that 
 the ancient pavement of St. Vitale, now covered over by a 
 second mosaic pavement at a much higher level, was both in 
 work and subject analogous to the Lyons pavements, as well 
 as to the one about to be noticed. 
 
 In the year 1831 extensive excavations, fully described 
 in the w^ork of M. Wallett, were commenced to uncover the 
 crypt and choir of one of the ancient churches of St. Bertin, 
 at St, Omer. These laid bare one of the most interesting 
 monuments of art ever exhumed in France. A reference to 
 the engravings in M. Wallett's work will show at once the 
 nature of the pavement, which, represented by a regular 
 classical tesselation of black, red, yellow, and bluish grey, 
 executed in terra-cotta, stone, granite, and marble, the zodiac 
 surrounding a square, divided diagonally by conventional 
 ornament and containing three medallions and a monu¬ 
 mental slab in the several triangles so spaced out. Of these 
 the most interesting is the monumental slab which is covered 
 by a figure of William, son of Robert, Count of Flanders. 
 Want of space does not permit of my dwelling in detail upon 
 the workmanship of the medallions, which show a curious 
 transition from the mosaic to the purely incised slab pave¬ 
 ments ; but I may be permitted to congratulate France and 
 its archæologists upon the fact that the date of 1108 wrought 
 round the supine figure of Prince William leaves no doubt 
 as to the retention at that period of workmen perfectly 
 capable of imitating in mosaic the important fragments of 
 classical mosaic which served, so far as processes of manu¬ 
 facture and ornament are concerned, as models for the 
 execution of this precious work. The third rare specimen of 
 mediæval Latin mosaic is the slab of Frumualdus, Bishop of 
 A.rras, found in the cathedral of St. Waast, at Arras, in 
 1835, and now preserved in the museum of that city. 
 Frumualdus, who died in 1183, is represented standing, and 
 in full episcopal costume. The details are worked out, as 
 may be observed on an inspection of the elaborate coloured 
 plate given in Gailhabaud’s Architecture et les Arts qui en 
 
 dependent,"’ in tesseræ, among which are many obviously 
 gilt. One peculiarly classical feature, the retention of which 
 would go far to prove a Latin rather than a Byzantine 
 tradition for this work, is to be noticed in the strong black out¬ 
 lining of the figure. I am not aware of the existence of any 
 later Latin tesselation than is shown in these three examples. 
 
Mr, Dighy Wyatt on Decoration, &g. 
 
 19 
 
 We come now to the third species^ Byzantine mosaic. Me. masY 
 which includes all that was done in Greece and Asia Minor ; onDecoea- 
 and much that was done in Italy, from the transfer of the 
 seat of empire in the year 399, until the Italians began to Byzantine 
 learn from the Greeks to practise the art for themselves, phase. 
 History tells us that Constantine took artificers to Con¬ 
 stantinople with him skilled in all the arts of Rome ; and 
 hence we naturally find that the earliest Byzantine monu¬ 
 ments can scarcely be distinguished from the classical ; but 
 the new soil and the old soil soon caused the same parent 
 stock to bear very different fruits. Byzantium rose as Rome Mainly 
 sank. No doubt a freer intercourse with the nations of the fronitL 
 East, and more especially with Persia, soon led the Greeks 
 to engraft enhanced brilliancy on their fading recollections 
 of classical art ; and gorgeousness in costume, in textile 
 fabrics, in illuminated manuscripts, and in pictorial mosaic, 
 soon usurped the foremost place, once assigned to severer 
 sources of beautiful effect. In the pages of Hope, Lord 
 Lindsay, Gaily Knight, Von Quast, Salzenberg, and 
 Ciampini detailed information will be found upon the pro¬ 
 ductions of the Byzantine mosaic-workers. Suffice it now 
 to say that it is in their earliest labours at Santo Sofia, at rinost 
 Constantinople, and in the churches of San Nazareo e Celso ComSntf-^^ 
 (the tomb of Galla Placidia,) San Vitale, and the two Ravenna, 
 churches of San Apollinare di Fuori and Di Dentro, at 
 Ravenna, that the finest models for our imitation are to be 
 met with. Byzantine pictorial mosaic is exclusively upon 
 gold ground ; and there is ample evidence that, from the date 
 of the commencement of the iconoclastic troubles in 742, 
 when multitudes of Greek artists and monks were driven out 
 by persecution to seek a precarious living in foreign 
 countries, the staple of such work was invariably executed, 
 and the necessary materials probably manufactured, by 
 these itinerant mosaicists. What are to be peculiarly ad¬ 
 mired in the Byzantine interiors are the breadth of decorative 
 effect invariably aimed at, the good proportioning of the 
 scale of the pictures and ornaments to the distance from 
 which they require to be viewed ; the judicious use of bands, 
 margins, and string courses to keep the compositions distinct 
 and make them subservient to an architectural disposition ; 
 and the judgment with which they invariably accentuate or 
 give emphasis to leading architectural features. For instance, 
 nothing can be happier than the mode in which they almost 
 always treated the soffits and faces of arches, and the arrêtes 
 or salient angles of vaults. No arrangements of decorative Venice, 
 form can be happier than such as exist in some of the cupolas 
 
 B 2 
 
20 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mr. digby of St. Mark’s, at Venice, of which careful sections may be 
 ON Decora- found in Kreutz’s elaborate work. 
 
 TioN, &c. Next to Constantinople and Ravenna, Rome certainly 
 Rorae. offers the noblest specimens of Greek work ; done, probably, 
 to a great extent, through the Scuola Greca” established 
 by Pope Adrian I., A.D. 782, and attached to the church of' 
 Santa Maria, in Oosmedino. As if to reward the patronage 
 of the Pontiff, the great mosaic of Santa Pudenziana, done 
 in Ins days, is by far the best in which the Greeks appear to 
 have played the leading part. The mosaics executed at 
 Rome for the next three centuries, although numerous and 
 on a grand scale, exhibit, with the exception perhaps of those 
 of Santa Prassede, a marked falling off. In those of the 
 apse of San Clement, carried out early in the thirteenth 
 century, a decided revival is manifested, destined to burn 
 brightly for a short time only, being, as it were, almost the 
 last shooting Tip of the already waning flame, which had for 
 so many centuries shed a brilliant light from the capital of 
 the Eastern empire far and wide over the continent of 
 Europe. 
 
 TV. The come to the fourth, or Greco-Italian, series, which 
 
 Dalian important on two accounts—firstly, because they il- 
 
 phase. lustrate a gradual emancipation from tradition in the limita¬ 
 tion of subjects and action ; and, secondly, because they con¬ 
 stitute the transition which ended in the transfer of the art 
 from one nationality peculiarly fitted to maintain technical 
 efficiency to another not less qualified to graft pictorial 
 excellence on mechanical precision and perfection. The first 
 mosaics executed in Sicily—those of the Church of the 
 Admiral and of the Capella Palatina at Palermo—bear Greek 
 inscriptions and were wrought by Greeks ; in the first ex¬ 
 clusively, and in the second probably under the guidance, as 
 to design, of Saracenic artists. 
 
 Finest sped- For the later and far more extensive works at Monreale 
 Sidiy!^ and Cefalu, the mixed races, protected under the Norman 
 dominion, each contributed its quota of skill. The Duca di 
 Serradifalco and Cicognara agree in recognising the influence 
 exerted on Pisa by the advance made in Sicily ; and, through 
 Pisa, Sienna and Florence were unquestionably stimulated to 
 rapid advance in art. The cathredal at Monreale offers, I 
 believe, next to Santo Sofia, at Constantinople, and St. 
 Mark’s, at Venice, the noblest and grandest instance of a 
 church decorated throughout with mosaic. Having drawn and 
 studied hard in it for many a day from dawn to sunset, I can 
 bear humble testimony to its invariable beauty under every 
 changing condition of light and shade. Whether bathed in 
 
Mr, Dighy Wyatt on Decoration, &g. 
 
 21 
 
 sunshine and all alive with glowing colour, or, almost dark at 
 closing day, retaining to the last some lingering gleam upon 
 its gilded wall faces, its aspect is one, not of gaudiness nor 
 gloom, but of serene and dignified magnificence. It is a 
 subject of congratulation that these beautiful mosaics are so 
 admirably rendered by colour-printing in the great work 
 recently published by the Padre Gravina and the Benedic¬ 
 tines under the auspices of the Italian Government. As in 
 Sicily, so in Venice, the art was at first kept entirely in the 
 hands of the Greeks, who not only worked at St. Mark’s, 
 but at Torcello and Murano as well. In the latter island 
 they, no doubt, laid the foundation of the glass trade, pre¬ 
 viously a Constantinopolitan monopoly, so far as the more 
 difficult branches of the manufacture were concerned. From 
 the Murano glass houses, from the Scuola Greca, at Borne, 
 and from a m.anufactory established at Palermo, as well as 
 by direct importation from Greece, the materials were sup¬ 
 plied with which the Greco-Italiaii mosaics were executed. 
 The profits made by the itinerant Greeks in Italy, coupled 
 with an increased demand for works of decoration consequent 
 on the wealth accumulated by the northern Bepublics 
 through trade gains, soon caused an attempt to be made by 
 the Italians to break up the Byzantine monopoly. 
 
 The success of this attempt led to the development of the 
 fifth species of pictorial mosaic, which I have designated 
 Italian monumental.” It was in Florence, early in the 
 thirteenth century, that the transfer of the monopoly was 
 consummated. Andrea Tafi, a Florentine, having insinuated 
 himself into the confidence of certain Greeks working on St. 
 Mark’s, at Venice, prevailed at last, as Vasari says, Con 
 preghi, con danari, e con promesse,” on a certain Apollonius 
 to go to Florence and work with him upon the mosaics which 
 still line the vault in the baptistery in that city. A rival of 
 Andrea was the even more celebrated Mino da Turrita, who, 
 having gained an earlier, although probably less accurate, 
 knowledge of the Greek processes, preceded Andrea in work¬ 
 ing on the baptistery. Subsequently Gaddo Gaddi was em¬ 
 ployed as an assistant on these works ; and by these artists, 
 and by their pupils, and pupils’pupils, almost all the pictorial 
 mosaics subsequently executed in Italy were carried out. 
 Among such may be specially noticed, as combining fine 
 execution and decorative colour with really good art, the 
 splendid apse linings of San Giovanni Laterano and Santa 
 Maria Maggiore, at Borne, executed by Mino da Turrita and 
 Gaddo Gaddi, by the latter of whom Giotto’s celebrated 
 Navicella,” at St. Peter’s, was also wrought. 
 
 Me. Di&by 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 and in 
 Venice. 
 
 V. The 
 Italian mo¬ 
 numental 
 phase at 
 Florence, 
 
 and at 
 Rome. 
 
22 
 
 RepoHs on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Me. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Pecoea- 
 
 TION, &c. 
 
 Its Mediae¬ 
 val, 
 
 Renais¬ 
 
 sance, 
 
 and modem 
 stages. 
 
 VI. The 
 Italian 
 portable 
 phase. 
 
 So highly did the Italians esteem the products of Andrea^s 
 combined talent and cunning that after his death they 
 honoured him with the following epitaph :— 
 
 Qui giace Andrea, ch’opre leggiadre e belle 
 
 Fece in tutta Toscana, ed ora e ite 
 
 A far vago le regne delle stelle. 
 
 Pietro Cavallini and the Cosmati subsequently obtained 
 reputation by their mosaic, principally at Rome, the latter 
 working in the Gothic manner altogether. I have every 
 reason to believe that the Greeks continued to labour at 
 Venice long after their services were dispensed with in other 
 cities of Italy, although after 1400 A.D. I think the work at 
 St. Mark’s to have been altogether Italian. With the up¬ 
 rising of the great school of fresco-painting, the employment 
 of mosaic, a far more costly decoration, was to a great extent 
 dispensed with, although at Pisa, Orvieto, Sienna, and Rome 
 both styles of mural embellishments are constantly to be 
 seen together. Their union, however, is not to be admired, 
 owing to their unequal durability—the permanence of the 
 colour of the one frequently making needlessly conspicuous 
 the fading or staining of the other. The best early Renais¬ 
 sance monumental mosaics with which I am acquainted are 
 those from the designs of Raphael in the Capella Chigiana, 
 in Santa Maria del Popolo (illustrated in colour by Mr. 
 Gruner), and the vault of a subterranean chapel in Santa 
 Croce in Giriusalemme, at Rome, the design of which is 
 attributed to Baldassare Peruzzi. The best late Renaissance 
 mosaics on a grand scale are unquestionably the magnificent 
 decorations of the vast cupola and pendentives of St. Peter^s 
 —models which one would fain see rivalled, not slavishly 
 imitated, in our great metropolitan cathedral. For the pro¬ 
 duction of the Papal mosaics a fabrica^ or Government 
 establishment, was founded, which has not failed, up to the 
 present time, in providing materials and labourers equal to 
 the repair of old and the initiation of new work, equal in all 
 respects to, and surpassing in some, the peculiarities of each 
 style we have hitherto noticed. 
 
 A few words will sufiice to dismiss the sixth species of 
 mosaic, which I have called Italian portable.’^ By this 
 term I would convey that the basis of the variety is not so 
 much making portable mosaics, as, from the great weight of 
 the materials, they can never be made easily portable ; but 
 rather making reproductions, in mosaic, of pictures in oil 
 or other media, which may be really and readily transferable 
 from place to place. This species is, in fact, little 
 else than a revival of the fine opus vermiculatum of the 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Decoration^ &g. 
 
 23 
 
 ancients. It would be incorrect to say that the Greeks did MR.DiaBT 
 not ever manufacture miniature mosaic pictures, because ois^ecoea- 
 tvvo fine specimens exist to my knowledge — one at 
 Florence, and the other, of extraordinary perfection and 
 curiosity, in the Kensington Museum ; but it may be safely Florence:— 
 averred, from the great rarity of such relics, that the practice Kensington 
 was altogether exceptional. This, indeed, is not to be 
 wondered at, since, with the quick-drying cement ordinarily 
 used for mosaic-work, it must have been extremely difficult 
 to execute these almost microscopic pictures, which bring 
 within the compass of a few square inches subjects usually 
 worked out in as many square feet. 
 
 This leads us to the conclusion that the ancients, for their 
 finest mosaic pictures, must have used some retarding agent, 
 such as honey or beer would prove, to keep their cement 
 plastic longer than it would remain if mixed with water only. 
 
 When, however, Giovanni Baptista Callandra applied, early and on a 
 in the seventeenth century, a mastic in lieu of an ordinary 
 hydrate of lime to unite the tesserae, it became comparatively 
 easy to copy the most elaborate pictures in mosaic. By 
 this artist was executed the beautiful reproduction of Guido’s 
 St. Michael, which, with Raphael’s Transfiguration,” and 
 Domenichino’s St. Jerome,’^ is about the best of all the 
 celebrated mosaic pictures in St. Peter’s. 
 
 In the marble incrustation which forms our seventh species, ?^osaic 
 and which is best known as Jb lorentine mosaic, the tints and dure.’* 
 shades are given by the natural colours of the jasper, agates, 
 and other precious materials of which the work is composed. 
 
 The hardest minerals only are used ; and, as each small piece 
 must be cut and ground to a pattern, and each thin veneer 
 backed by a thicker one of slate, or some such material, in 
 order to give it strength, so much labour and time are in¬ 
 volved in the production of this kind of mosaic that its high 
 price has necessarily limited its use. Zobi, the principal 
 writer on the art of pietra dura mosaic, tells us that he 
 knows of no existing example in Italy of marble pictorial 
 mosaic executed during the first periods of the revival of 
 the arts, except the specimen to be seen in the central 
 nave of Sienna Cathedral, said to be the work of Duccio di 
 Buoninsegna, who lived in the fourteenth century.^’ 
 
 There can be no doubt, however, that the art was founded 
 on the opus sectile of the ancients, and that it descended by IJe^ancieïts 
 regular tradition from classical times. I need scarcely recall 
 to your recollection the extraordinary advance made in the 
 pavement of the same cathedral upon the work of Buonin¬ 
 segna, by that great master of the sixteenth century, Becca- 
 fumi. The art was lavishly patronized by the Medici. The 
 
24 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 31r. Digbt 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 Under the 
 Medici. 
 
 Ill the East. 
 
 The first 
 six phases 
 pictorial 
 by aggrega¬ 
 tion of 
 uniformly 
 coloured 
 parts. 
 
 In the 
 seventh 
 nature 
 paints as 
 well. 
 
 The present 
 
 eclectic 
 
 revival. 
 
 In Italy. 
 
 celebrated Fabrica Ducale of Florence was founded by 
 Ferdinand I., Grand Duke of Tuscany, in 1558; and its 
 reputation during the seventeenth century was kept up by 
 the exertions of those artists to whom Florence owes the 
 finest specimens of mosaic which enrich her palaces and 
 galleries, and whose names are for the most part given to us 
 by Baldinucci. Before taking leave of this subject we must 
 not omit to notice the exquisite specimens produced in India 
 of pictorial mosaics, representing the finest arabesque and 
 conventional ornament in pietra dura. That the Indians 
 were early in possession of all the technical ability necessary 
 for such work is proved by the antiquity of some of their 
 gem-cuttings, inlaying, polishing, and carvings in hard 
 stones ; but it is probable that their Sovereigns owed much 
 to Italy for assistance in that beautiful arabesque-work which 
 ornaments the great monuments at Delhi and Agra ; for in 
 1688 a passport was obtained from the King of Spain, by 
 the Grand Duke of Tuscany, for four workmen skilled in 
 mosaic working in precious stones, whom he was about to 
 dispatch to the Great Mogul. 
 
 Such being the whole of the varieties of mosaic whicli 
 have heretofore prevailed, it behoves us to see in what rela¬ 
 tion the present stands to the past. To facilitate the 
 student’s just exhaustion of the problem, it will be well for 
 him to group as one the first six varieties, and to consider 
 the seventh separately, their being this fundamental difference 
 between the first six and the seventh—that whereas in every 
 one of the first six the whole of the pictorial effect is de¬ 
 pendent on the aggregation of coloured particles, each 
 particle being of a uniform, even colour ; in the seventh, 
 nature supplies variously coloured and tinted substances of 
 extraordinary hardness and durability, which the mosaicist 
 selects and shapes so as to represent the various lights and 
 shades and local colours, not in an even intensity only, but in 
 all the gradations and variations which characterise the 
 objects he endeavours to pourtray minutely. The style 
 of modern mosaic decoration may in general terms be 
 designated as an eclectic revival of all the styles of the past, 
 and we shall now briefly take stock of the condition of the 
 art as at present practised by the principal nations of Europe, 
 and as illustrated by the products of the Inteimational 
 Exhibition. 
 
 As great parent of the art, it is but just to Italy to give 
 her precedence. Fortunately, the tendency of the Roman 
 Catholic Church has been eminently conservative ; and to 
 her honourable desire to uphold and repair her ancient 
 
 fanes we are indebted for the preservation of the tradi- 
 
Mr, Dighy Wyatt on Decoration^ àc. 
 
 25 
 
 tions and practice of mosaic making and working upon a mr. DmBT 
 grand scale. Attached to three of her principal shrines have on^ecora- 
 long been schools where the mosaic-worker has been reared tion, &c. 
 and employed, at the charge of the State or Church, to repair 
 the splendid mosaics of St. Mark's, at Venice, San Benedetto, At Venice, 
 at Monreale, in Sicily ; and St. Peter’s and other sublime Monreaie. 
 structures at Rome. These State establishments are not 
 directly represented in the present Exhibition, but their 
 influence is perceptible even in their absence. It is a hopeful 
 sign for Italy that what was long a hothouse plant only is 
 now showing itself as a hardy annual,” and private enter¬ 
 prise is carving out for itself an honourable path scarcely to 
 be trodden by any Governmental institution. To Signor 
 Salviati, of Venice, the great honour will always accrue of 
 having given this vigorous impulse to a branch of industry 
 which seemed to be dying out from inanition in his native 
 city. It is always satisfactory to find such efforts as those 
 which Signor Salviati has made duly appreciated, and it is 
 pleasant to read the terms in which they were spoken of by 
 the Royal Commission of members of the Venetian Academy 
 of Fine Arts appointed in 1861 to examine and report to 
 Government upon Signor Salviati’s establishmeni. They BySaMati. 
 report * that they found that the drawings executed by 
 Signor Salviati’s order, and serving as guides in the 
 manufacture of the mosaics and of the intaMios of his 
 establishment revealed the best possible taste, being well 
 and artistically done. They have no suggestions to offer 
 as to their improvement, and they cherish the conviction 
 that a man who has already sacrificed personal interests, 
 tranquillity, and time ; who has abandoned a liberal pro- 
 fession securing to him a distinguished and honoured 
 position in the country ; who spends large sums of money 
 and makes long journeys for the sake of introducing im- 
 provements ; who, unassisted, and not in the possession of 
 ‘‘ a very large capital, has founded an establishment increasing 
 every day in importance, and who gives bread and work to 
 so many artisans, requires no additional stimulus to spur 
 him on in his task. His own intelligence, his own dis- 
 interestedness, and the love and the care which he has 
 devoted to this new undertaking, are the best guarantees 
 for his future improvement and for his continual pro- 
 gress.” 
 
 This continual progress” Salviati has well maintained up His??reat 
 to the present time, as is abundantly testified both by his 
 
 * “ Di un nuovo stabilimento patrio di mosaici, «&c., relazione di B 
 Cecchetti. Venezia, 1861.’’ 
 
Me. Digî^bt 
 Wyatt 
 OE DeCOEA- 
 TION, &C. 
 
 Through 
 
 Salandri. 
 
 At St. 
 
 Peters- 
 
 burgh. 
 
 26 Reporta on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 works executed in this country and by his samples shown in 
 the French Exhibition, which are in every style, from the 
 close imitation of nature in works such as his portrait of 
 Prince Albert, to the regular conventionalties of the Greek 
 saints, reproduced from models in St. Mark’s, I shall have 
 occasion to return to Signor Salviati’s labours in speaking of 
 the progress of pictorial mosaics as an element of decoration 
 in England. One of Salviati's great merits has consisted in 
 his generous appreciation of the talents and experience of old 
 Lorenzo Radi, the glass-worker of Murano, in whose person 
 the traditional mysteries of smalto ” making, partially 
 revealed to us by Neri,* seemed concentrated, and on the 
 point of perishing with the old man’s death. Now, for¬ 
 tunately, through Radi’s nephew, Giovanni Albertini, and 
 Salviati these processes are fully preserved, improved upon, 
 and worked (as I had occasion to observe in a recent visit 
 to Murano) upon a really great commercial scale. 
 
 While Venice is thus flourishing in a revival of this good 
 old art, Rome is showing some signs of life in the extension 
 of what is commonly known as Roman mosaic {i.e.y a repro¬ 
 duction of the opus vermiculatum of the ancients), from paper 
 weights and table tops, to which its application (with the 
 exceptions to my knowledge only of some very good pilasters 
 in the villa Borghèse and some few attempts in the villa 
 Torloniana at Rome) has hitherto been limited to chimney- 
 pieces and similar portions of domestic structures. In the 
 exhibition of the Papal States this year there is shown a very 
 pretty marble chimney-piece decorated with these mosaics 
 from designs by E. Salandri, of London, who has lately 
 shown me several clever projects ” for similar works, which 
 he is anxious to import into this country. 
 
 As an important offshoot from Rome we have next to 
 consider an establishment which, but for its being Imperial,” 
 and therefore hors concours,” would unquestionably have 
 received the highest honours any jury could have conferred. 
 I allude to the Imperial glassworks of St. Petersburg, under 
 the especial patronage of Prince Garkarin, and presided over 
 by Signor Bonafede, the favourite pupil of the celebrated 
 Chevalier Barbetti, the mosaicist, of Rome. What the 
 French would call a splendid gamme ” of coloured smalti ” 
 for the execution of mosaics exhibited by this establishment 
 in 1862 received the warmest commendation from the jury, 
 of which I was a member on that occasion, and was subse¬ 
 quently presented to the Department of Science and Art 
 by the Emperor of Russia. The present Exhibition shows 
 
 * “ De Arte Vitraria.‘ 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on BeGoration^ &c. 
 
 27 
 
 advance rather than falling ofF^ and unquestionably the best me. digby 
 pictorial mosaic of all in the building is a colossal one, on'decoea- 
 executed with ^^smalti’" from this establishment, by F. tio^&c. 
 Bouroukin, M. Mouraviev, and G. Agavonov, from a picture Through 
 by Professor Neff. It represents a group of saints, and for Neff?Boura- 
 breadth of effect and simplicity of execution leaves nothing otheSJ^ 
 to be desired. It is intended to form a portion of the internal 
 decoration of the great Protestant church of St. Peter, at 
 St. Petersburg, a structure of great size, the general design 
 of which is creditable to its architect, C. Tatzky. This 
 mosaic is essentially pictorial in its freedom from conventional 
 restraints of any kind, and is so beautiful as to form, to 
 my mind, a perfect model of what a pictorial mosaic adapted 
 for harmonising with architecture of the nineteenth century 
 should be. 
 
 In France there are no great signs of life in the revival in France, 
 of the art of pictorial mosaic. It is true that in the year X. 
 of the Republic the authorities founded an establishment in 
 rivalry with the ^-Fabrica Papale,’' under the charge of a 
 Signor Belloni, for teaching French workmen to make 
 mosaics, all’ uso di Roma," but it never flourished ; and, 
 whether in the original establishment, the old college of 
 Navarre, in the Rue de la Montagne, St. Germain, or in 
 the Rue des Cordeliers, to which Belloni ultimately removed, 
 little was done, and the manufacture was never other than 
 a short-lived exotic. Sèvres this year shov/s a few speci¬ 
 mens of revived ecclesiastical pictorial mosaic, which suffice 
 to show, what nobody in his senses would doubt, that the 
 French could make excellent mosaics if they were so 
 minded ; but at present it is clear that the architects have 
 neither taken it up nor have the public demanded it as a 
 decorative adjunct for churches or domestic structures, as 
 we have already begun to do. A Commission has, however, 
 recently been given to Salviati to execute a series of medal¬ 
 lions, representing tragic and comic masks, &c., for the 
 decoration of the new grand opera house at Paris. These I 
 have seen in progress at Venice, and admirable they certainly 
 are. 
 
 This brings us to England, where matters now stand in in England 
 a most hopeful position ; and it may be well to trace a few 
 of the steps by which that hopeful state has been attained. 
 
 The revival of mosaic in this country as an architectural early 
 adjunct may be considered to have begun in 1839-40, 
 about which time Mr. Blashfield endeavoured to produce 
 decorative pavements by means of inlaid asphalte, coloured 
 cement, and Venetian pisé works, aided by the clever inven¬ 
 tions of Mr. Singer, of Vauxhall; by his ingenious assistant, 
 
28 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition, 
 
 m^^igby Mr. Pether ; and also by Mr. Prosser's mode of producing 
 ON Decora- a tile of great density and closeness of texture, by subjecting 
 Tio^&c. pQYrdered China clay to strong mechanical pressure in iron 
 moulds, and in this way obviating the shrinking caused by 
 evaporation which is unavoidable when the clay is used in 
 a moist state. Mr. Prosser's invention was first applied to 
 the manufacture of buttons, in which for some time a large 
 trade was carried on. Recently Messrs. Maw have invented 
 a process by which they obtain tesseræ with the close texture 
 and consequent hard surface only to be obtained by aqueous 
 shrinkage, and hitherto only approached by subjecting the 
 materials to extraordinary pressure. The best specimen 
 extant of Mi'. Singer's work is the pavement of the hall of 
 the Reform Club. 
 
 Mfffii! Minton, I believe, at the suggestion of Mr. Blash- 
 
 field, turned his attention to the application of Mr. Prosser's 
 patents to the production of tesseræ suitable for the formation 
 of pavements similar to those of the ancients. Many beauti¬ 
 ful geometrical combinations for this purpose were suggested 
 Owen Jones, by Mr. Owen Jones, and the result of Mr. Minton's spirited 
 efforts was the speedy introduction to the market of excellent 
 tesseræ in all colours. 
 
 Biashfieid. In 1844, when I went abroad to study my profession, 
 Mr. Biashfieid gavé me a commission to obtain for him any¬ 
 thing which I considered likely to render these tesseræ (the 
 manufacture of which Mr. Minton had then just entered 
 upon) of more general utility. In Italy and Sicily I found 
 much material, of which I believed little notice had at that 
 time been taken ; and this induced me to make a series of 
 drawings, which I afterwards published in The Geometrical 
 Mosaics of the Middle Ages." These drawings were 
 shown to Mr. Minton by Mr Biashfieid ; and on my return 
 to England, in 1847, Mr. Minton applied to me to assist 
 him in his views with respect to encaustic tiles, and their 
 combination with tesselated work in general. For some time 
 I rendered him what aid I could, and, but for other and 
 more pressing professional engagements, I should probably 
 have continued to do so. On Mr. Minton's retirement from 
 Maw. active business, Messrs. Maw & Co., determining to add the 
 execution of mosaic to their encaustic tile manufacture, 
 sought my co-operation, which has been given, at such 
 intervals as have suited our mutual convenience, up to the 
 present time. Feeling their strength quite equal to the 
 production of pictorial as well as geometrical mosaic, Messrs. 
 Maw requested me, on the announcement of the intended 
 Exhibition of 1862, to design a pavement of that character 
 for them. This I did to the best of my ability ; and the 
 
Mr, Dighy Wyait on Decoration, &g. 
 
 29 
 
 work^ which included large heads of the four seasons in con- me. Diget 
 ventional framework, was exhibited and favourably received on^decoea- 
 by the public. It is now to be seen in the South Kensington ^lo^&c. 
 Museum, where, as the first completed specimen upon any 
 considerable scale of a pictorial mosaic executed in England, 
 it is not without interest. Whatever its defects may be as 
 compared with later works, there is no doubt that by its 
 execution its manufacturers fully proved their capability to 
 rival any antique mosaic yet exhumed in this country. To 
 have attempted successfully such an experiment, involving 
 the production of an indefinite number of tesseræ of about 
 100 different tints, many never previously got up in England, 
 and the application of skilled labour as it had never before, I 
 believe, been employed in this country since the last Roman 
 quitted it, was, I do not hesitate to say, highly honourable 
 to them as manufacturers ; and it is a source of gratification 
 to me to have been associated with them in this, the first, 
 practical endeavour to revive pictorial mosaic amongst ns. 
 Concurrently with Messrs. Maw, other manufacturers began 
 to turn their attention to the production of materials for the 
 execution of mosaic ; and Messrs. Powell & Co., of White- Powell, 
 friars, Messrs. Minton, and Messrs. Jesse Rust & Co., in- Rust, &c. 
 stituted exceedingly interesting and successful experiments. 
 
 Messrs. Simpson & Sons, the London agents to Messrs. Simpson. 
 Maw, also experimented upon the operations of cutting, 
 making up, and backing, &c. ; while Signor Salviati, who 
 had been invited by Mr. Penrose to aid him in the projected 
 mosaics for the pendentives, &c., of the dome of St. Paul’s, 
 was led to seek employment in this country, which he has 
 readily found, and to a great and, I trust, remunerative 
 extent. 
 
 The officials of South Kensington took up the matter Works at 
 from an educational as well as from a practical point of 
 view ; and attempts have been successfully made in their 
 schools to instruct female students in the practical execution 
 of mosaics from cartoons made by masters in the school and 
 eminent artists who were employed by the department to 
 make cartoons upon an extensive scale—in the first place, 
 for filling up the great series of recesses along the Cromwell- 
 road front of the picture galleries of the International 
 Exhibition of 1862 ; and, in the second, for the numerous 
 panels on the upper level of the interior walls of the museum 
 of the department. The first of these projects failed, mainly 
 from the unfavourable reception the buildings in question 
 received from the public ; but the second is in process of 
 realisation, and the present Exhibition contains two full-size 
 figures which will take the place (after the close of the 
 
30 
 
 Repoi'ts on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 As shown in 
 the present 
 Exhibition. 
 
 Employ¬ 
 ment of 
 Salviati in 
 England. 
 
 Suggestions 
 as to re¬ 
 vivals. 
 
 îîxhibition) of the models from \vliich they have been taken, 
 and which occupy temporarily the niches the mosaics will 
 ultimately fill. The panels in question represent respec¬ 
 tively Phidias and Fra Angelico. The former has been 
 translated into mosaic by Messrs. Powell & Co., from a 
 painting by Mr. Poynter ; and the latter by Messrs Minton, 
 after a picture by Mr. Cope. Having had an opportunity 
 before the mosaics were sent to Paris of comparing them 
 with the originals, I can attest the perfect success of the 
 transcription, both in form and colour. Mr. Cole, of the 
 Department of Science and Art, as an old and intimate 
 friend and helper of Herbert Minton, has, to my personal 
 knowledge, incessantly stimulated all concerned in bringing 
 forward this elegant and permanent decoration, and has with 
 zealous care brought together, and displayed in the section 
 of the South Kensington Museum devoted to architecture 
 and building contrivances, everything calculated to assist 
 the student who would desire to make himself acquainted 
 with the materials available in the present, and the best 
 models of the past. 
 
 It is satisfactory to be able to feel that Salviati’s best 
 works have been executed from designs and cartoons by 
 English artists. The works he has executed for her Majesty 
 at St. George's Chapel, Windsor, for St. Paul’s, London, 
 and for Westminster Abbey, are all in this category; and 
 Messrs. Clayton and Bell’s cartoon for the reredos of the 
 last-named building was highly commended and rewarded 
 by my jury. It is scarcely necessary to add that Salviati 
 was also justly and fully appreciated by the jury, as were the 
 honourable exertions of South Kensington. 
 
 Such being the actual condition of the manufacture at the 
 present moment, I think it will be admitted that it is really 
 incumbent on the studious architect (and in a minor degree 
 on the art-loving public) to endeavour to grasp the theory of 
 the right application of pictorial mosaic ; and it is in the 
 endeavour to aid him and them by my experience that I 
 venture to reproduce a few convictions on the subject, at 
 which I arrived some time ago, and in which I am confirmed 
 
 by all I have seen in the present Exhibition. 
 
 The combined action of the moisture and severe frost of 
 any northern climate is such as must always, I fear, render 
 but little durable any extensive application of mosaic in 
 small tesseræ as external decorations. To a great extent, 
 therefore, architects will have to look upon it as an internal. 
 The theory or at any rate, a protected embellishment. It is, of course, 
 a coloured incrustation applicable to any structural surfaces 
 which it may be desirable to enrich ; and its appropriate 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Decoration^ &c. 
 
 31 
 
 design may be strictly determined by very nearly the same 
 laws which should govern the distribution of polychromatic 
 decoration, executed through any other medium upon similar 
 surfaces. The rationale of these laws has been by no one 
 better illustrated than by Sir Charles Eastlake in his in¬ 
 valuable reports to the Fine-Art Commission; and it is 
 better that I should refer to what he has so well written in 
 those documents, than attempt to give now any paraphrase of 
 them. The chief exceptional conditions are, firstly, the 
 expense of mosaic, which entails simplicity ; secondly, the 
 extremely vivid way in which it reflects light and exhibits 
 local colour partially, demanding judgment to adapt the 
 design to the mode of lighting; and thirdly, its limitations, 
 under ordinary circumstances, as a means of artistic expres¬ 
 sion, which lead to the prudent avoidance or sparing employ¬ 
 ment of many of those pictorial elements, such as perspective, 
 foreshortening, lively action, or complicated chiaroscuro, 
 which are proper and agreeable sources of effect in mural 
 paintings executed with more tractable vehicles. That 
 which the designer will probably at first feel to be his 
 greatest difficulty, the arrangement of the cement joints 
 which attach the tesseræ to one another, will, when once 
 he has mastered the principles upon which they should be 
 disposed, prove a ready and most essential means of heighten¬ 
 ing his effects. The jointing is to a mosaic designer.exactly 
 what the lines and reticulations of an engraving or etching 
 are to an engraver : and the rules of taste which apply to the 
 one apply equally to the other. For instance, as the en¬ 
 gravers lines, by convexity or concavity, express the undu¬ 
 lations of drapery and the modelling of surfaces advancing to, 
 or retreating from, or above or below the spectator’s eye, so 
 precisely should the directions of the jointing of a piece of 
 pictorial mosaic. Again, as the regular ruling or cross- 
 hatching of an engraved half-tint is made to give value to 
 the broken lights and shades of the leading figures, to which, 
 by their vivid contrasts, attention has to be attracted, so 
 should the uniformity of the jointing with even-sized tesseræ 
 diminish the brilliancy of a mosaic background, breaking up 
 the light which would otherwise be so strongly reflected 
 from, say, a white or golden background, as to quite kill the 
 effect of the figures or ornaments to be relieved upon it. 
 Another point which should be carefully attended to in 
 arranging the jointing is to allow a row of tesseræ of the 
 same colour as the ground to always follow every leading 
 contour profiled upon the background. The use of this rule, 
 which was invariably followed by all good mosaicists, is to 
 prevent the directions of the generally horizontal and vertical 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, & c. 
 
 Its limita¬ 
 tions. 
 
 Its scope. 
 
 Jointing. 
 
Mr. Digb\’ 
 Wyatt 
 
 ONDECOEA' 
 TION, &c. 
 
 Need of 
 reall}^ good 
 artists for 
 cartoons. 
 
 Principles 
 on which it 
 should be 
 designed. 
 
 32 Reports on the Paris Exhibition, 
 
 jointing lines of the background from cutting awkwardly 
 . against the profiles, which the eye should be allowed to 
 follow without being led olf into other channels or distracted 
 by the occurrence of irregularly-shaped tesseræ next to 
 leading forms. This re-duplication, as it were, of mosaic 
 outline, has almost the effect of the lead-line in stained glass, 
 and is not much less essential to good eflFect. It is highly 
 gratifying to observe the degree of judgment with which the 
 mosaicist has emphasised the designer’s intention by a 
 judicious treatment of the jointing in the Russian, Salviati’s, 
 and the South Kensington specimens now exhibited. It is 
 always to be remembered that at the distance from the eye 
 at which mosaics are usually likely to be placed mechanical 
 defects disappear, but that artistic mistakes betray themselves, 
 despite the most perfect mechanical execution. Hence it is far 
 better to spend time, thought, and money in getting really 
 first-rate cartoons than in endeavouring to bring the tesseræ 
 to fine joints or microscopic minuteness. In mounting to the 
 summit of the great dome of St. Peter’s glimpses are caught 
 from time to time of the nature of the mosaic work ; and the 
 observer who, from below, may have fancied the whole to 
 have been wrought with great exactness, wiU find that the 
 work is of the coarsest description, with joints in which often 
 a good sized pencil might be laid. Owing to its judicious 
 design, however, the eflFect of the whole is eminently satis¬ 
 factory when viewed from the floor of the cathedral. 
 
 It may be well to remember also that although mosaic is, 
 as it were, painting, it is something more in its relation to 
 the structure it decorates—it has become ^^bone of its 
 bone and, in virtue of its intimate and permanent union, 
 is especially bound to live in peace and harmony. As a 
 good wife should make conspicuous the virtues of the hus¬ 
 band she adorns, should enhance his virtues, and screen his 
 defects, so should a well-devised system of mosaic give, by 
 predominant vertical lines, height to a structure in which 
 height is wanting ; and, by predominant horizontal lints, 
 length where length is needed. Brilliancy may be wrought 
 out of darkness by allowing gold grounds and luminous 
 colours to prevail : while the eye in another building, 
 faint with excess of light,” may be refreshed by a pre¬ 
 ponderance of cool, deep, and quiet tones. Stringcourses and 
 borders, archivolts and imposts, bands and friezes, should be 
 treated as permanent frames to permanent pictures, essential, 
 by their rectangularity or other simple geometrical cha¬ 
 racter, to aflFord the eye a ready means of testing all adjoin¬ 
 ing and more complex forms by contrast. Need I say that 
 where the skeleton of the picture’s composition is tossed 
 
il/n Dighy Wyatt on Decoration, &g. 
 
 83 
 
 about in lively action a stronger boundary of more vivid and 
 contrasted hues must inclose it as a corrective than v/hen the 
 motive power of the picture is of a quieter and simpler 
 structure? That is the reason why the great Venetian 
 pictures demand such massive framing, while the more serene 
 compositions of the early Florentine and Siennese schools 
 look best when separated one from another by little else than 
 narrow bands of flat and softly-tinted ornaments. In the 
 same way in mosaic the rigid saints of the early Byzantine 
 schoob with their evenly-balanced limbs and perpendicular 
 draperies, need little else than vertical palm-trees, or inscrip¬ 
 tions, or upright staves placed between them, to keep them 
 architectonic ; while the later corresponding figures of the 
 Italian school, with their swaying lines, require often actual 
 insertion into recesses to keep them even reasonably quiet. 
 
 Such are a few of the most important theoretical points 
 which have occurred to me, but there are other and more 
 abstruse details to be mastered before perfect success can be 
 achieved, but upon these I cannot with propriety enter in 
 this report. Such are those which arise out of the different 
 artistic conventions which form ^l'^fluated stag:es between the 
 crudest mode of, as it were, symbolising nature and the most 
 highly-perfected form of imitative art. While an intimate 
 acquaintance with the specific conditions of each of these 
 stages^—which are to the designer what keys are to the 
 musical composer—will be a great assistance to the mosaicist, 
 an ignorance of or an indifference to them will lead him into 
 great trouble and confusion. 
 
 With respect to specific style as affecting pictorial mosaic 
 a few words remain to be added. We have seen that, as a 
 decorative art applicable to monumental structures, it has 
 survived every fluctuation and vicissitude which have affected 
 architecture from the Christian epoch to our own time ; as 
 certainly vfill it outlive the little differences which split our 
 architects up into Goths and Greeks—big-and-little-endians” 
 of the professional golden eggs. We have begun now to intro¬ 
 duce a new element into our national art, and, happily, one 
 which may, with precedent, and therefore with a good con¬ 
 science by those who lean heavily on precedent, be used alike 
 in buildings of whatever historic style we may any of us 
 peculiarly affect. Let me, then, express a hope that it may 
 not be considered necessary to retain the defects and 
 mannerism either of too much or too little academic know¬ 
 ledge peculiar to ancient, mediæval, or modern times, but 
 that we may rather concur in doing the very best we any of 
 us can with this art without pedantry or a slavish deference 
 to the past. The whole history of monumental and indus- 
 
 20406.-20. C 
 
 Me. Digbt 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decoea- 
 TION, &c. 
 
 Necessity 
 for special 
 study of 
 “ conven¬ 
 tions.” 
 
 Adaptation 
 to specific 
 styles. 
 
34 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mr. DiaBT 
 Wyatt 
 OR Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 Revivals of 
 “ pietra 
 dura ” 
 mosaic in 
 Italy. 
 
 England. 
 
 France. 
 
 England. 
 
 M. de Tri- 
 quetVs fine 
 works. 
 
 trial art has shown us that never is perfection attained in 
 any product in which the material conditions and the pro¬ 
 cesses by which those conditions may be best enhanced and 
 developed, have not formed the basis of the theory of con¬ 
 struction, manufacture, or application of any such product. 
 This has held good of glass, stone, wood, marble, and of all 
 the metals ; and assured am I that, if we are to make this art 
 of pictorial mosaic a credit to the nineteenth century, a 
 similarly objective spirit must also direct and determine 
 the specific mode in which, under every varying condition qf 
 style and historical association of ideas, we would endeavour 
 to rival the great masters of old in their use of this time- 
 honoured embellishment. 
 
 Before leaving altogether the subject of mosaic, it remains 
 only to notice very briefly the other section of the art, in 
 which Nature is herself made to turn painter to help the 
 mosaicist to his efiects. In this style the Exhibition includes 
 not many competitors of importance. The chief are M. de 
 Triqueti, the Royal (formerly grand ducal) manufactory of 
 mosaic in jnetre dure^ of Florence ; the Imperial establishment 
 for work of a somewhat similar kind at Peterhof, Russia ; 
 Betti, Barzanti, and Rinaldelli, of Florence ; and the 
 Englishman Birley, of Ashford, in Derbyshire. 
 
 M. de Triqueti, the well-known sculptor^ author of the 
 Marmor Homericum,’' Mr. Grqte’s gift to the London 
 University College, displays in the section of fine arts four 
 large panels in what he calls Tarsia de Marbre.” In some 
 respects this assimilates to the well-known pavement of the 
 cathedral at Sienna, and forms, in fact, pictures in which 
 local colour is represented by slabs of variously-tinted 
 marbles, and form, by hatchings filled in with black or other 
 coloured cements. The process admits obviously of a highly- 
 conventionalised treatment of subject only. The effect pro¬ 
 duced is novel, and, owing to the great merit of the artist, 
 interesting ; but, to my taste, the mechanical difficulties to be 
 overcome are too great to permit of adequate pictorial repre¬ 
 sentation. What is given is either too much or too little for 
 what is wanting, and there is an inadequate balance between 
 the expression of colour and that of form. This insufficiency 
 is scarcely felt when such a process is applied on a small 
 scale to the elaboration of conventional ornament, or even of 
 arabesque, introducing figures, &c., as it w'as occasionally m 
 monuments and commemorative tablets by the sculptors of 
 the early Italian Renaissance ; but in highly-dramatic themes, 
 portrayed in life size, the picture in its perfect gradations, if 
 not in full intensity, of light, and shade, and colour, is so 
 essential to convey expression to the mind of the spectator, 
 
35 
 
 Mr, Dighy Wyatt on Decoration, &c. 
 
 and to enable him, as it were, to icfentify himself with the 
 scene, that no resource of the painter's art can be spared. To 
 produce pictorial effect in tarsia de marbre ’’ appears to me 
 so difficult as to make one say, with the well-known epigram- 
 mist, would it were impossible.” In this particular instance 
 M. de Triqueti has shown himself at aU points the accom¬ 
 plished artist he is well known to be ; and if he fails by such 
 a process to charm who is likely to succeed ? at any rate in 
 works of so ambitious a character. 
 
 M. de Triqueti’s great mosaics (for mosaics they un¬ 
 doubtedly are) consist of four very large plaques or tablets 
 with accompanying pilasters, and wiU form part of the wall 
 lining of the Wolsey Chapel at Windsor, dedicated to the 
 memory of Prince Albert by Her Majesty the Queen, serving 
 as complements to the splendid gold-ground mosaics by 
 Salviati, specimens of which are to be seen in the Italian 
 department. They represent respectively—1, Moses blessing 
 the people of Israel, the approach of his death, and his delivery 
 of the Pentateuch to the Levites ; 2, David composing his 
 psalms under the divine afflatus ; ” 3, Daniel in the lions’ 
 den ; 4. Nathaniel under the fig-tree. The subjects of the 
 pilasters are analogous. 
 
 Thus it will be seen that their aim is the loftiest possible ; 
 and it is but just to say that, in dignity of style, the design 
 and execution are irreproachable. My criticism is directed, 
 not against the artist or his work, but solely against the 
 method as available for the expression of such subjects. For 
 fear that on so important a work my views should appear 
 prejudiced or unjust, it is but fair to let the author describe 
 the process in his own words :— 
 
 These bas-reliefs,'’ he states, have been executed by 
 an entirely new process, and the ornamental framework 
 which surrounds them is no less novel. They are composed 
 of different marbles planted on a base also of marble. The 
 drawing and modelling of the figures are given by deep 
 incisions, which are filled up with a coloured cement which 
 adheres perfectly to the marble, with which it is of equal 
 hardness — so equal, indeed, that the same process of 
 polishing is applicable to both. The colours employed in 
 tintiug the cements are, from their very nature, permanent. 
 The whole is thus calculated to last, without change, until 
 destroyed by accident or wilful intent. Its inventor 
 proposes to designate this new branch of art ^ tarsia de 
 ‘ mo^rbre,’ as reproducing in its general aspect the Italian 
 ^ tarsias ’ intarsiature ’), executed in wood in the four- 
 teenth and fifteenth centuries, although the new style 
 differs from the well-known old one in the materials and 
 
 c 2 
 
 Mr. Digbt 
 Wyatt 
 OY Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 For the 
 Wolsey 
 Chapel, 
 Windsor. 
 
 Their aim. 
 
 Their pro¬ 
 cess. 
 
3G 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exldhition. 
 
 Mr. Digbt 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 Works from 
 the Royal 
 manufac¬ 
 tories at 
 Florence. 
 
 At St. 
 
 Peters- 
 
 burgh. 
 
 process of manufacture^ as well as in the results obtained. 
 It also differs from the works in the cathedral at Sienna, 
 the pavement of which is executed with the aid of similar 
 incisions, filled in with a black resinous mastic, the use of 
 which was speedily abandoned on account of its want of 
 durability. It is also without local colour, and has never 
 been employed for mural decoration. The cutting out of 
 the ornaments in marbles of different colours which compose 
 the borders has never been previously attempted on a large 
 scale for want of any mechanical contrivance which could 
 bring down the price of such work sufficiently to justify 
 its use for the decoration of great buildings. The borders 
 now exhibited show that this problem has been resolved 
 from henceforward. Corresponding work executed at 
 Florence on the old system has hitherto cost enormous 
 sums, and its use has for that reason been so restricted «as 
 to scarcely exist in any but the most exceptional cases.” 
 Although there is room for many observations on this 
 manifesto, this is scarcely the place to enter upon them ; I 
 would simply point out the works as well repaying careful 
 study. I pass therefore to a consideration of the products 
 of the Royal, formerly grand ducal, fahrica of mosaic in 
 pietre dure at Florence. So far as mechanical execution 
 is concerned, the old perfection is maintained in what is now 
 shown; but the labour is to the art as a mountain to a 
 molehill. Its chief specimens in the present Exhibition con¬ 
 sist of a landscape representing the tomb of Cecilia Metella, 
 at Rome, a picture of the Last Supper, a statuette of Deante, 
 in which the draperies, &c. are all represented in natural 
 colours cut out in the very hardest stones (gems, in fact) 
 possible. In all these the jury regretted that the original 
 models were not worthy of the infinite skill, patience, inge¬ 
 nuity, and great outlay necessary to the elaboration of the 
 finished products. 
 
 In comparing these samples with those forwarded from the 
 Russian imperial establishment of Peterhof, it was felt that 
 the artistic direction of the latter exhibited a juster appre¬ 
 hension of the legitimate capabilities of mosaic en pierres 
 dures.” Although, perhaps, a little overdone with gilded 
 mountings, the splendid Armoires,” inlaid with the choicest 
 lapis lazuli and with raised fruits and flowers, did great credit 
 to M. Jafimovitch, the director of the manufactory, In close 
 examination of the precious materials in which these mosaics 
 were executed, one could not fail to be struck with the 
 beautiful subdued pink tint of the rhodonite, a colour unat¬ 
 tainable, so far as I know, in any other substance. The 
 selection of specimens of lapis lazuli fringed with white vein- 
 
Mt. Dighy Wyatt on Decoration^ &c. 
 
 37 
 
 ing to represent the petals of some panzies, constituted a mr.Digby 
 
 luxe” beyond a luxe ” in this princely vanity.” On a oi^decora- 
 larger scale, the working of some of these precious materials 
 (jaspers and rhodonite) at the Imperial establishment at 
 Ekaterinbourg received the warmest admiration from the AtEkater- 
 i'ary, both on account of the elegance of the forms and the 
 splendid size and purity of the samples of rare and most 
 costly minerals. 
 
 If one cannot but trace some falling off in the good taste 
 vdiicli should preside over such an establishment as that of 
 the Royal Florentine manufactory of mosaic in pietre dure, it From 
 is gratifying to have occasion to observe that this decadence generally, 
 has in nowise extended to the independent producers of a 
 somewhat similar class of goods in Florence. Many very 
 good samples of the usual imitations of flowers, &c., inlaid in 
 black marble for table tops and cabinets, are contributed by 
 various Florentine manufacturers, amongst whom the jury 
 specially noted the houses of Barzanti, Betti, and Rinaldini. 
 
 In the same class of goods the table top exhibited b}^ our 
 solitary producer in the same line, Mr. Samuel Birley, 
 
 Ashford, Derbyshire, was much admired. Observations were, ' 
 
 however, made upon the inequality of scale in which the 
 centre group of flowers and the surrounding wreath bad been 
 worked out. 
 
 Before passing in this report to other special miscellaneous 
 branches of decorative work,” it may be well to notice an in many 1 
 institution, the golden fruits of which are sufficiently manifest decSion 
 throughout the British section, and which are, in fact, of no 
 mean importance, not only as making up the present goodly 
 show, but as pregnant with promise for the future of British 
 industrial art. 
 
 There is probably no exhibitor in the whole building p^^tment^f' 
 whose contributions are so difficult to classify as are those Science and 
 which appear collectively under the name of the Department 
 of Science and Art, South Kensington. The various items 
 so appearing correspond not ill with the all-embracing title 
 of the department, and one is somewhat at a loss to determine 
 whether they are most interesting under their utilitarian and 
 scientific, or their artistic aspect. When they were first 
 brought under the notice of the juries of classes 14 and 15, 
 suj)posed to take cognisance, respectively, of furniture and 
 decoration, but which actually worked together, as I have 
 before said, as one jury, an inclination was felt to remit each 
 item or sets of items to other classes, to which they appeared 
 to reler specially—as certain specimens of terra-cotta work, 
 to tlie jury for ceramics ; certain other terra-cotta work, the 
 bronze door, &c. to civil engineering and building con- 
 
38 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition, 
 
 Mr. digby trivances ; and the mosaics to the class for vitreous manufac- 
 ON iX:coRA- tures, or^ possibly, to the last named but one. On reflection, 
 Ti^&c. hQ^ever, there appeared to be running through them all so 
 manifest a decorative strain ’’ and intention that it was felt 
 that that intention demanded distinct recognition on our 
 
 Which was 
 excluded 
 from re¬ 
 ward. 
 
 Its general 
 influence as 
 teacher. 
 
 Works pro¬ 
 duced under 
 its auspices. 
 
 parts ; and, if it failed to receive it from us, we did not see 
 that it would be likely to receive its due commendation 
 under its general aspect from the jury of any other class. It 
 was, accordingly, determined to recommend the department 
 for a gold medal, which would indubitably have been 
 conferred, had it not been determined to place all exhibits 
 proceeding from manufactories or departments supported by 
 national funds out of the competition altogether. This 
 exclusion from reward in nowise nullifies or abates merit, 
 and leaves the duty still upon the reporter of justifying the 
 favourable opinion entertained and expressed by the jury 
 In the case of what (for brevity) we may designate as South 
 Kensington, the first debt of gratitude, on the part of all 
 lovers of art, was felt to the institution from an educational 
 point of view. Its influence, directly and indirectly, as a 
 teacher was felt to pervade the decorative aspect of the whole 
 of the British section. The first result of such teaching, the 
 multiplication of draughtsmen, or, at any rate, of persons 
 capable of understanding the various graphic processes alone, 
 has gone far to supply what, ten years ago even, was a 
 crying deficiency in England. The operation of the 
 central and often itinerant museums, in which the artist, the 
 workman, and the general public may freely examine and 
 draw from the choicest examples of the industry of the past, 
 has proved at least equally beneficial. The organization of 
 the system of reproduction of the best models by the cheapest 
 possible plaster casts, photographs, galvano-plastic processes, 
 chromo and photo lithography (of which a charming series of 
 specimens was exhibited on the present occasion) has 
 extended the benefits of the museum to the very homes and 
 workshops of the student. This system has been much 
 appreciated on the Continent ; and in the Austrian and other 
 departments signs may be recognised of the inauguration of 
 similar systems, leading, no doubt, to an international 
 exchange of good models, calculated to advance the general 
 interests of art and industry in the highest degree. 
 
 Setting aside, for the present the question of the extent 
 to which it may be good policy for a State to produce works 
 of art on its own account simply to serve as niodels for 
 imitation by private enterprise, there can be no doubt that to 
 take advantage of the necessity for the construction of 
 adequate galleries and buildings for the department to give 
 
Mr, Digby Wyatt on Decoration, &c. 
 
 39 
 
 an impetus by State aid to the national arts of construction 
 is both justifiable and laudable. It is in this direction, 
 apparently, that the officers of the department have been 
 labouring zealously and with a good measure of success. In 
 speaking of terra-cotta, faience, enamel, and mosaics, I have 
 already taken occasion to allude to the success of the depart¬ 
 ment’s exhibits, and I think there remains only to notice 
 specially the fine bronze door (destined to form the entrance- 
 door to the museum), which will long bear its testimony to 
 the rare talents of poor Godfrey Sykes. Had it pleased 
 God to endow him with a frame as robust as his imagination 
 was fertile and his hand well trained, he would, I cannot 
 doubt, have originated a series of monuments of art-industry 
 which would have been treasured at home and would have 
 done us infinite credit abroad. The doors in question con¬ 
 stitute a fine and original work, presenting us with a series 
 of figures in high relief of the worthies of art-industry, 
 each standing in a somewhat severe architectural framework. 
 They have been skilfully carried out in the galvano-plastic 
 or electrotype process by Franchi of London (in whose name 
 they are exhibited), from the general design left by Godfrey 
 Sykes, and executed after his death by his assistants, John 
 Gamble and Reuben Townroe. 
 
 We (and indeed it is a prevalent bad habit in most coun¬ 
 tries) are too apt to speak and think generically of things 
 we understand imperfectly, forgetting that endless variety 
 may exist in each genus, and we not know it.'’’ Thus, 
 we speak of any monumental crosses as Eleanor crosses,” 
 whereas Eleanor crosses are but varieties in a genus. So 
 many will speak and think only of Mr. Sykes’ production as 
 a Ghiberti door,” while, in fact, the two will have nothing 
 whatever in common except the facts that both are doors 
 and both are made in metal. The design is different to- 
 to-cœlo ; the process of fabrication is different, the style is 
 different ; and one might as justly accuse Ghiberti of 
 plagiarism because his bronze doors followed and rivalled 
 that of Andrea Pisano, as accuse Mr. Sykes of want of 
 individuality because Ghiberti and many others had preceded 
 him in the same road. The truth being, that Mr. Sykes’ 
 work was really produced in emulation of the beautiful, but 
 unfortunately incomplete, designs for a monumental door ” 
 made some 20 years ago by his old friend and master in 
 decorative art, Alfred Stevens. Anyhow, the door in ques¬ 
 tion will be the first of its kind in England, so that South 
 Kensington may be congratulated upon obtaining novelty 
 as well as beauty in this specimen. 
 
 Me. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decoea- 
 TION, àc. 
 
 Godfrey 
 Sykes* 
 bronze door. 
 
40 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Me. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 
 ON De COE A- 
 TION, &C. 
 
 General up- 
 holstery in 
 Fmnce. 
 
 England. 
 
 Switzerland. 
 
 Belgium. 
 
 Prussia. 
 
 Hesse. 
 
 Furniture 
 in precious 
 stones and 
 materials. 
 
 Algerian 
 
 onyx. 
 
 I pass now to various miscellaneous sections comprised in 
 Class 15, reserving for a finale some general observations 
 upon furniture, ornaments, and decorations for the services 
 of the Church."’ 
 
 In general upholstery, including bed furniture, stuffed 
 chairs, canopies, curtains, tapestry, and other hangings,’" 
 the present Exhibition contains in no department any great 
 quantity of novelty. Much v/hich was commended by the 
 jury of 1862 is equally commendable now ; but it would be 
 needless repetition to dwell long upon what is good, but gene¬ 
 rally perfectly well known—such, in France, as the som- 
 miers Tuckers the excellent upholstery of Bruseaux and 
 Co., and of Mdme. Veuve Brag, the hangings of Mathevon 
 Bouvard, of Lyons, the chairs of Jeanselme, the marque¬ 
 teries of Marcelin, the porcelain inlay of Bivart, the port¬ 
 able iron furniture of Tronchon, the stamped leather of 
 Dulud, and ornamental leadwork of Monduit and Bechet ; 
 such, in England, as the beds and bedding of Heal and Co., 
 the chairs of Ingledew, the brass bedsteads of Winfield, of 
 Birmingham, the picture-frames of Rowley, of Manchester, 
 the slateworks of Magnus, the japanning of Bettridge, the 
 stained pine bed-room fittings of Dyer and Watts, and the 
 curtains of J. and J. S. Templeton, of Glasgow ; such in 
 Switzerland, as the parquets of Wirth and Muller Bridel] ; 
 such, in Austria, as the bent wood furniture of Thonét; 
 such, in Belgium, as the chimney-pieces of Leclercq and 
 Mellot, and the parqueterie of Tasson and Dekyn: in 
 Prussia, as the frames of Voeltykow and Blirges, and the 
 parquets of Peters and Klemm ; or in Hesse, as the par¬ 
 quets of Nussmann and Bimbét. Of all such houses and 
 products it may suffice to say, that all exhibit in excellent 
 form the current goods, the perfect qualities of which have 
 established tlie reputations of those firms for what they 
 manufacture. 
 
 Foremost amongst the makers of objects of furniture in 
 precious stones and materials, other than those already 
 noticed, should certainly be placed the Société des Marbres 
 d’Onyx d" Algérie,"’ carried on under the general and com¬ 
 mercial direction of M. Viot, and under the artistic guidance 
 of M. Cornu. For perfect execution, the happiest appre¬ 
 ciation of the decorative uses to which objects in such 
 precious materials can be applied, for judicious combination 
 of those materials with metal and other mountings, and 
 indeed, for general successful results, this beautiful display 
 was at once considered worthy of the highest ordinary dis¬ 
 tinction the jury could award to it. As even more perfect 
 than the Algerian onyx-works, I certainly hold the exquisite 
 
Mr, Dighy Wyatt on Decorationy &c 
 
 41 
 
 cabinet specimens of jade, rock-crystal, &c., forming the mr. Digby 
 G uthrie collection, exhibited through Messrs. Phillips on^decora- 
 Brothers, of Cockspiir Street, London. These works/how- 
 ever, not being exhibited by their manufacturers, could be Guthrie 
 admired, as they certainly v/cre, but could not be brought 
 under any conditions which could justify the award of a 
 prize for them, at any rate in our class. The beautiful 
 ’mosaics of precious stones, inlaid at Agra, &c. and forming Agrainiaya, 
 chess-table tops, inkstands, &c., were also admired by the 
 jury of Class 15, but felt to be scarcely within its province. 
 
 Amongst other exhibitors of good work in precious, or at 
 any rate exceedingly intractable, materials, the jury specially 
 noticed the porphyry vases, &c. wrought at the usine of 
 Mdme. Arborelius, at Mora Elfdalen, in Sweden, and the Swedish 
 masterly treatment of Scotch granites by the well-knovm sSch^^^’ 
 firm of McDonald and Field. In softer but yet precious 
 materials, such as marbles, &c., quantities or well-wrought Bei^mn 
 chimney-pieces are exhibited, such as those of Geruzet, for 
 the Pyrenean marbles, Becq, for other French marbles, and 
 Leclercq, Willemotte, Crocquet, Courbain, Melot, and 
 Louvencourt for those of Belgium. 
 
 Bespecting moulded objects, and ornaments in plaster. Objects 
 
 statuary, pasteboard, &c.'' there is not much to be said. 
 
 All the various processes of reproduction by the use of elastic 
 moulds are now so thoroughly and generally understood 
 that every nation alike seems to employ them with almost 
 equal facility and dexterity. From an educational point of Piaster 
 view, the plaster casts of portions of great architectural monu- 
 ments displayed by the Department of Science and Art are 
 most important, and next, probably to these, from the same 
 point of view, are the small specimens contributed from the 
 Government School of Design of Vienna. In the manu- carton- 
 facture of carton-pierre and plaster work, on the system pierre, 
 patented by M. Desachy, under the auspices of Mr. Owen 
 Jones, France certainly ‘^carries off the golden apples,” both 
 for excellence and commercial development of the manii* 
 facture. 
 
 The well-known houses of Crapoix and Hubert maintriin 
 their well-won leads, and are closely followed by Messrs. 
 
 Jackson and Sons, of London. The English and French 
 in this particular do not quite compete on equal grounds, for, 
 while the French products have, for the most part, been 
 chased-up by most skilful carvers, the English works are 
 exhibited almost exactly as they have left the moulds. In 
 this respect the French have taken, as I consider, no undue 
 liberty, since it was, of course, open to Mr, Jackson to have 
 Worked up his goods to the same high degree of surface, 
 
42 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition, 
 
 Mr. digby finish, and undercutting. He preferred^ however, to exhibit 
 ON Decora- the products of his manufacture as they currently issue from 
 Tio^&c. factory. 
 
 Picture Amongst the frames there is a general average of 
 
 frames. excellence in the production of gilt frames amongst the 
 leading nations of Europe. The French, English, and 
 Austrian appeared to me to be the best, and the Bavarian, 
 Belgian, and Prussian the cheapest. In carved frames, with 
 perhaps, the solitary exception of one forwarded by the 
 Society of Arts in London—which obtained special appro¬ 
 bation in their last competition for prizes for skilled work¬ 
 manship—Italy had it, I consider, all her own way.’’ The 
 frame carved in v,^alnut-wood from designs by Giusti, of 
 Sienna, and some smaller specimens by Frullini and others 
 were admirable, and in all respects constituted commendable 
 works of art. Rowley, of Manchester, was specially noticed 
 as a maker of thoroughly good ordinary picture frames, at 
 moderate prices. The frames of several of the Prussian 
 houses were considered to be extraordinary, for the prices 
 at which they were quoted. 
 
 decoration painted decoration, the Palace of the Exposition con¬ 
 
 tains but little shown as specimens by individual exhibitors, 
 but the brush has.been freely applied ornamentally to garnish 
 the stands and inclosures which separate the products of the 
 various nationalities—upon the whole, I think, most success¬ 
 fully in Italy. Turkey, in this respect, narrowly escapes 
 being very good ; and Germany has sought safety in a series 
 of her usual half tints and neutrals, which scarcely sufficiently 
 furnish up ” to the goods to which the walls, &c. serve 
 as backgrounds. In Russia, it is to be regretted that the 
 paint-pot has been allowed to spoil a quantity of admirable 
 woodwork, which, simply stained or varnished, would have 
 told its own tale, and looked exceedingly well. Because 
 the French have not exhibited decorative painting” in 
 force, it is not to be inferred that they are wanting either 
 in heads to design or hands to execute every class of such 
 work. Paris itself—not in its great monuments only, but 
 in every street, and almost in every café —is overflowing 
 with protests against the injustice of any such supposition 
 Outside the walls of the Exhibition she is stronger in her 
 display of this class of work than within it. In the pavilion 
 of the Empress, in the kiosk for the Pacha of Egypt, 
 in the Sultan’s cabinet, and in many other works for all 
 sorts of nationalities she has lent a good hand,” espe¬ 
 cially through the talents of MM. Dieterle, père et fils, 
 Prignot, and Parvillet, artists and designers of the most 
 distinguished merit. In reporting upon the class of paper- 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Decoration, &c. 
 
 43 
 
 hangings, I may, however, have occasion to dwell in 
 greater detail upon this branch of my subject ; mean¬ 
 while, should any sceptic doubt the French superiority in 
 this department of art, let him only spend an hour or two 
 attentively in the gallery of industrial designs and he will, 
 I think, leave it a convert. 
 
 On that important section of class 15, furniture, orna¬ 
 ments, and decorations for the services of the church, a 
 whole volume mio:ht, of course, be readily written. As our 
 limits are not of any such capacity, the remarks now to be 
 made must be condensed within far too narrow a compass 
 for the interest and gravity of the subject. To the visitor 
 to the Exhibition it presents itself under two leading and 
 distinct phases—viz., what is the present position of the 
 various European nations in relation to church furniture 
 and decoration, and what evidence does the Exhibition con¬ 
 tain and afford of progress, or the reverse. Some time ago 
 a broad distinction might have been made between the 
 furniture, ornaments, and decorations intended for the 
 services of the Koman Catholic and for those of the Keformed 
 Churches respectively ; but at the present moment such dis¬ 
 tinctions have been all but obliterated. It is indeed 
 singular that some amongst the most costly decorations for 
 ecclesiastical structures—such, for instance, as the mngni- 
 ficent Russian mosaics, those in pietre dure by de Triqueti, 
 and the bulk of those exhibited by Dr. Salviati—should be 
 intended for buildings in which Protestant rites are per¬ 
 formed. In all countries alike the revival has been rather 
 archæological than ritualistic in its origin, whatever it may 
 be now; a spirit of conservatism for ancient monuments 
 arose early in the present century, and embraced, of course, 
 by way of reaction, most energetically those ecclesiastical 
 structures which had most suffered, through revolution in 
 France and Italy and general indifference in other countries, 
 during the eighteenth century. The study of the monuments 
 of ancient and national architecture speedily induced a 
 corresponding study and fondness for the preservation of 
 relics of ancient industries, and gradually the study led on 
 to a desire for the reproduction of such relics, and ultimately 
 for the réintroduction into general industry of the processes, 
 and even of the forms specially affected at different historic 
 periods. Thus, in every country, general industry has been 
 enriched by the revival of many, until lately, dormant, if 
 not extinct, arts and processes, and the equipments of the 
 Church have correspondingly benefited. Still parallel with 
 this revival, which naturally assumed a mediæval shape, 
 there has existed, if not flourished, a style of church furnish- 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 Vurniture ^ 
 and decora¬ 
 tion for the 
 church. 
 
 Increasing 
 “ luxe ” in 
 the celebra¬ 
 tion of 
 religious 
 rites. 
 
 A revival 
 which began 
 archæologi- 
 cally, and 
 has become 
 ritualistic. 
 
44 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mr. DiacY 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, &Q. 
 
 Chief la¬ 
 bourers in 
 the archæo- 
 logical re¬ 
 vival in 
 France. 
 
 And in the 
 ritualistic. 
 
 The move¬ 
 ment not 
 congenial to 
 the French 
 workman. 
 
 ing which has descended to our days from the exuberant 
 wealth and flourishing condition of the Roman Catholic 
 Church under the stimulating system of the Jesuits. The 
 style to which I allude was rococo ’’ in the highest degree, 
 and was the perfect embodiment of the maximum of draw¬ 
 ing with the minimum of thinking ; rich and florid, it rejoiced 
 in broken and twisted scroll and shell work, ribbons, clouds, 
 saints, aureoles, cherubs, skeletons, emblems, rays of light, 
 and even flashes of lightning. At the beginning of the 
 present century scarcely any church plate, furniture, or 
 decoration of any sort of pretension was executed in any 
 other style. In France the labours of enthusiastic archæo- 
 logists, such as Albert Lenoir, E. H. Langlois, the Comte 
 de Pourtales, Vfillemin, Sauvageot, Du Soimnerard père. 
 De la Queriere, Laborde, de Bruges, and Jubinal, stirred up 
 the country to something better, and attempts were at first 
 almost furtively made to smuggle into the sacristies of the 
 principal cathedrals something more in consonance with the 
 rare treasures of the raediæval period, which were still [re¬ 
 served in a fragmentary state at the backs of cupboards and 
 in neglected drawers, than the motley incongruities to which 
 allusion has been made. To these pioneers succeeded other 
 supporters of 'Romanticism,’’ as it was stigmatised in the 
 early days of Louis Philippe, when Victor Hugo, Dumas, 
 Balzac, Soulié, the Bibliophile Jacob, and Sue, emancipated 
 literature and the belles lettres from the fetters of academical 
 tradition. France must ever lie under a deep debt of 
 gratitude to those who have helped to confer grace and 
 comeliness, reason and propriety, upon the revival of such 
 national arts of the Middle Ages as might be made available 
 for giving a fitting character of dignity and solemnity to the 
 equipments of the restored monuments of her ancient faith. 
 Among such may be classed conspicuously during the last 
 30 years. De Gaumont, the Abbè Texier, the Pères Martin 
 and Cahier, the Vicomte de Gussy, de Meriinée, Rio, Questel, 
 Lassus, Didron, Gerente, Lasteyrie, Du Sommerard fils, 
 Maurice Ardent, Coiirmont, Laba.rte, Ferdinand Serée, and, 
 ^Gast, not least,’' Viollet le Duc. On ail sides in the present 
 Exhibition indications are given of tech ideal dexterity in 
 these revivals, but yet it is impossible to feel that they are 
 other than exotics. There is an obvious want of spontaneity 
 in the attempt of the art-workman of the Faubourg St. 
 Antoine to carve or paint, or wield the hammer and the 
 plyers, as the men of old did, under the active supervision 
 of a Church which once swayed the wills and views, the 
 hopes and fears, of labouring men, and held them bound 
 under as potent spells as do now the tyrannies of trade 
 
Mr, Dighy Wyatt on Decoration, &g. 
 
 45 
 
 associations^ and the mysteries of secret societies maintained 
 in spite of law and reason for keeping alive the smouldering 
 embers of red republicanism—with a carious undercurrent 
 of Fourierism. How can a Church which has so far lost 
 its hold upon the lives and consciences of those who can 
 alone furnish forth its pomps and ceremonies expect a mani¬ 
 festation now of that real devotional spirit which characterised 
 the old triumphs of ecclesiastical art and devotion ? 
 
 Both on the occasion of this and of the last preceding 
 sreat Exhibition. I could not but become C 02 :nisant of the 
 fact that the prevalent English idea of mediæval art is not 
 acceptable to, or partly perhaps accepted by, the most 
 accomplished critics of other countries. With much of wha.t 
 we produce in church furniture and decoration, and regard 
 as fulfilling the true mediæval theory of art, they find fault 
 because the work done fails to precisely recall the details of 
 the remains of church furniture and decoration which they 
 have most minutely studied. Thus in Germany the popular 
 idea of mediæval architecture is concentrated (exce])t, 
 perhaps, in the theories of Herr Eeichensperger and his 
 school, which is a very small one) in the angularities and 
 crinkled conceits of Erwin von Steinbach, Martin Roriczer, 
 and Adam Kraaft, In that style great quantities of church 
 furniture and decoration still exist in Germany, and models 
 suitable for exact reproduction abound. In England the 
 case is very difieient. The iconoclasts of our Reformation 
 did their work much more effectually, and left behind them 
 but scanty evidence of the characteristics of the furniture 
 and decorations which once adorned the structures they 
 defaced, but could scarcely destroy. Hence it was compara- 
 tively easy for the English to reconstruct mediæval archi¬ 
 tecture proper (and in that we have been fairly successful), 
 and difficuit to provide consistent instrumenta ecclesiastica. 
 The difficulty has been greatly increased by our predilection 
 for early pointed Gothic architecture, remains of the deco¬ 
 rative adjuncts of which are even scarcer than those of the 
 Inter styles, and of which fewer representations exist in 
 illuminated manuscripts. SucIî adjuncts the English have, 
 therefore, been compelled to a great extent to invent ; and 
 foreigners, not being well acquainted v/ith the types upon 
 which we have sought to reconstruct, fail to recognize the 
 correctness and propriety of the reconstruction. In other 
 words, they appear to admit frankly the beauties of mediæval 
 design as a thing of the past. (Conceding this in the present, 
 they would preserve every vestige of it in a wholesome spirit 
 of conservatism, and go even so far in restoration as to 
 destroy with great cost and pains what they aim at pre- 
 
 Mr. DiaBY 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 ïîie English 
 form of re¬ 
 vival or 
 “ develop¬ 
 ment re¬ 
 pugnant to 
 foreigners 
 generally. 
 
 In Germany, 
 Why? 
 
Mr. Di&by 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 In France. 
 Now. 
 
 (Viollet le 
 Duc rather 
 archæologî- 
 cal than 
 ritualistic.) 
 
 46 Reports on the Paris Exhibition, 
 
 serving; but as for the future of mediæval design, except as 
 a blind reproduction, they fail to recognize or adopt it. For 
 them it does not appear to possess such elements as justify its 
 re-creation as a living style, intolerant of, and predominating 
 over all others ; such, in fact, as it would become if our 
 English development ” theorists were permitted full scope. 
 I am fully aware that one illustrious name in France—that 
 of Viollet le Duc —passes current as an ægis for dogmatism 
 on this subject ; but those who would so use it can have but 
 a poor notion of the breadth of that great writer’s view, and 
 the ample spirit of tolerance which distinguishes his practice. 
 As he says, in an eloquent passage of the resume his- 
 torique ” of his Dictionnaire Raisonné du Mobilier 
 Français,’' Nous sommes dans le temps des innovations 
 en toutes choses : mais inventorions le passé,parce que 
 
 nous sentons quÜl nous échappe,^'^ And again, Pour con- 
 dure, nous ne prétendons pas que la connaissance exacte 
 des choses et des habitudes du moyen âge donne du talent 
 aux artistes de notre temps qui n’ont pu en acquérir ; mais 
 nous sommes convaincu qu’elle doit aider l’homme habile et 
 familier avec les ressources de son art.’" . . . Nous ne 
 prétendons pas qu’il faille, au milieu du dix-neuvième siècle 
 s’entourer de meubles copiés sur ceux qui nous sont laissés 
 par le mo 5 ^en âge. Et s’il parait ridicule aujourd’hui de 
 voir une femme en robe bouffante assise sur un fauteuil 
 imité d’un siège grec, il ne l’est guère moins de placer dans 
 un salon une chaise de quelque Seigneur du quinzième 
 siècle. Ce que nous voudrions, c’est une harmonie parfaite 
 entre l’architecture, le mobilier, les vêtements et les usages. 
 . . Le signe le plus certain d’une civilisation avancée 
 
 c’est l’harmonie entre les mœurs, les divers expressions de 
 l’art et les produits de l’industrie.” 
 
 The licence M. le Duc would thus freely accord to the 
 equipments of our residences he would wisely and justly limit 
 and draw tighter around the furniture and decorations of the 
 church of the 19th century. Thus he would regard as abuses 
 of the highest importance, when affecting ecclesiastical pro¬ 
 prieties, slips of good judgment, and taste, wliich would be 
 trivial only when committed by an individual. Ever since 
 (he says) a reaction has taken possession of us with respect 
 the ai4s of the Middle Ages, we have begun to fill our 
 churches with furniture, ^ soi-disant gothique,’ ridiculous in 
 form, unsatisfactory both in material and execution, and 
 possessing no other merit than rapid perishability.” Would 
 I could add that much which I have seen here and there 
 scattered about in England only possessed this last-mentioned 
 quality in the highest degree. Anyhow, certain it is that 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Decoration^ &c. 47 
 
 neither in 1862 nor in 1867 could any amount of arguing or 
 persuasion induce the foreign jurors, generally, to look with 
 satisfaction upon the forms of mediævality into which we had 
 cast the bulk of our furniture and equipments for the service 
 of the church. They would persistently maintain, firstly, 
 that they were not beautiful ; secondly, that they were not 
 like any remains of mediæval ages they had ever seen ; and 
 thirdly, that in point of workmanship they were below the 
 level of the best objects in other styles. In too many cases it 
 was impossible to deny, conscientiously,That the strictures were 
 just. The unfavourable impression made by the Ecclesio- 
 logical Society’s collection of exhibits,” to which obviously 
 none but the very pure ” had been admitted, may be 
 illustrated by the following passage from the report of the 
 Belgian Commissioner to his Government in 1863 :—L’ex- 
 position d’ameublements et d’objets divers en style du 
 moyen âge, organisée par les soins de la Société Archæo- 
 logique fournit encore d’autres exemples tout aussi frap- 
 pants (de mauvais goût) ; mais ici c’est peut-être à Tesprit 
 de système qu’on doit les singularités qu’on observe. Il 
 existe une école qui semble entourer de son amour non 
 seulement tout ce qui nous a été transmis par le moyen 
 âge mais surtout ce qu’il à produit de plus naïf et de plus 
 barbare.” While frankly acknowledging that a spirit of 
 pedantry is more often exhibited in such goods than a spirit 
 of beauty, an Englishman must wilfully shut his eyes who 
 would refuse to recognize how large an influence for good has 
 been exercised over even the nooks and corners of our native 
 land—its village churches no less than its cathedrals—by 
 those who have, by language sometimes a little over-harsh and 
 contemptuous, roused us up from our lethargy, and shaken 
 the old spirit of churchwardenism out of our drowsy consti¬ 
 tutions. While Pugin specially addressed himself to revival 
 for the sake of the Homan Catholic Church, the Cambridge 
 Camden (ultimately the Ecclesiological) Society applied 
 itself to the same task for the Anglican. With equal vigour, 
 and, one might possibly add, with equal intemperance, both 
 preached the soundest doctrine, in the most strident voice. 
 Perhaps for great diseases harsh remedies were necessary ; 
 but now that the medicine has operated and the patient is 
 better, he should forget the shaking up he received when he 
 was awakened to the necessity of taking his draught. 
 Because he may be better, it does not follow that he may be 
 yet quite well ; and there is still, I think, a wide field of 
 action left for bodies such as the Coimcil of the Architectural 
 Museum, who might, if they would, greatly assist the good 
 cause by directing the active energies of the art-workmen 
 
 Me. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 In Belgium. 
 Now. 
 
 Influence 
 A. W. Pugin 
 on the 
 Roman 
 Catholic 
 and of the 
 Cambridge 
 Camden 
 Society on 
 the Angli¬ 
 can Church. 
 
Mr. Digcy 
 VVyaït 
 OY Uecora- 
 
 Tioi<r, &c. 
 
 Rapid ac¬ 
 quisition of 
 power to 
 reproduce 
 mediæval 
 • architecture 
 satisfac¬ 
 torily in 
 England. 
 
 Action of 
 the Arundel 
 Society on 
 the art 
 element of 
 the move¬ 
 ment. 
 
 48 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 into the groove of beauty, and by keeping them away from 
 the much easier courses of quaintness and eccentricity. 
 Knowing, as all architects must know, how much behindhand 
 we were, cniy some 25 years ago, in everything connected 
 with the production of decent furniture, ornaments, and 
 decoration for the services of the Church, due allowance 
 should be made for any shortcomings which may still manifest 
 themselves ; remembering, at the same time, how much safer 
 it is to recognize them, in order that they may be amended, 
 than to shut our eyes to them and believe that we are all 
 right,” and our contemporaries on the Continent all wrong. 
 There will be found to remain, after making all reasonable and 
 requisite allowance for drawbacks, abundant evidence of skill 
 and capability on the part of designers and draughtsmen, 
 makers and employers, buyers and sellers of ecclesiastical 
 equipments of all kinds ; and as compared with similar classes 
 in any other country of Europe, we have little reason to fear 
 invidious comparison. It would be, I think, unjust to a very 
 active and very useful body to put upon record any impressions 
 of the rapid advance made in England towards the revival of 
 decent and artistic decoration for the offices of the Church 
 without adverting to the service rendered to the good cause 
 by the persistent labours of the Arundel Society. Instituted 
 in the year 1830, in a noble spirit of conservatism, the 
 governing body of this society has converted its efforts to do 
 honour to the past into a powerful form of leverage upon the 
 present. By sedulously putting before the artistic world 
 careful transcripts of some of the most beautiful applications 
 of art to the services of the Church in mediæval days, and in 
 those of the Renaissance in Italy, they have supplied models 
 which have proved of singular efficacy in preparing the way 
 for practical revivals of similar good works, through the 
 various media of wall and ceiling painting, stained glass, 
 mosaic, engraving, illuminating, carving, &c. in this country 
 of late years. It is true that, for a time, their labours were 
 misapprehended, and that they were supposed to travel in too 
 restricted an orbit ; but as time rolled on, and men’s minds 
 turned seriously to the practical question of how to do now 
 what great masters of old had done Vvæll in their days, a more 
 just appreciation of the value of such models arose ; and of 
 late years the field of the society’s operations has been greatly 
 enlarged, as is evidenced by the form in which they now 
 present themselves in a friendly alliance wdth the Department 
 of Science and Art. In speaking of this society and its 
 labours, shortly after the close of the last Parisian Exposition 
 I gave expression to anticipations (in the following terms) 
 which it is delightful to find have been fully and satisfactorily 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Decoration, <&c. 
 
 49 
 
 realized, and the fruits of which are now to be seen in many 
 departments of the British section. I then remarked, in 
 addressing a public meeting at the Crystal Palace :—I can¬ 
 not conclude without expressing my earnest hope that you 
 will not carry away the impression that studies of an archæo- 
 logical nature and the carrying out of objects such as this 
 society has attempted are without their practical importance 
 in this generation. Any glass-painter, or wall-painter, or any 
 artist occupied with sculpture in any material, must 'gain a 
 gTeat deal from a study of the frescoes and ivories reproduced 
 by the society. They will, in the first place, see how im¬ 
 portant it is to endeavour to stamp their works with a 
 legitimate connection with each other, and to give them that 
 dramatic interest which is indispensable to command the 
 emotions of the beholder. A single picture, separated and 
 isolated, cannot, of course, represent a course of action or take 
 cognizance of circumstances which may have preceded or 
 followed the moment selected for representation; but, in a 
 series, that connection of incident can be indicated which 
 converts art from a lyric into an epic, and gives it an all- 
 powerful and moving influence over the popular mind. 
 
 Again, any artist who will study these works will find 
 that whenever the simple expression of any natural emotion 
 or any tender sensation has been honestly carried out, 
 everybody must be struck with the power of it, and will be 
 ready to overlook almost any amount of technical imperfec¬ 
 tion. Further, they give us an interesting illustration of a 
 very difficult practical question which is every day presenting 
 itself—namely, how far it may be possible to unite with truth 
 and sentiment a just sufficient amount of archaism in form 
 to connect itself without jarring upon our senses with the 
 mediæval style which, in modern works of that character, 
 we are bound to preserve and carry out? They show us 
 that a mode of mural decoration may be used which shall 
 express all needful qualities of thought and feehng, and shall 
 yet assimilate by its peculiar angularities to an early style of 
 architecture without shocking the feelings by any gross want 
 of drawing or absence of human emotion and character. A 
 very little addition, by way of correction, to the design of 
 these frescoes is quite as much as the eye can desire, which 
 wants rather to see the subject of the picture and the thought 
 of the painter than to ascertain whether the work is well 
 executed mechanically and with what amount of dexterity. 
 It is not by attempting on all occasions to put Raffaelle 
 where Raffaelle ought not to be that we can obtain those 
 effects which neither Raffaelle nor Giotto ever aimed at 
 without realising."’ 
 
 20406 ,- 20 . D 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 In various 
 branches of 
 
 industry. 
 
 Especially 
 in adapting 
 the past to 
 the present. 
 
Me. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decoea- 
 
 TION, &C. 
 
 The revival 
 in Belgium ; 
 tribute to 
 three 
 
 Englishmen 
 King, Philp, 
 and Weale. 
 
 The revival 
 in Spain. 
 
 In Russia 
 and in Italy. 
 
 The revival 
 now shown 
 in the Exhi¬ 
 bition in 
 France. 
 
 50 Reporta on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 After France and England, there is no country of Europe 
 in which a greater effort has been made to emancipate the 
 Church from the old Jesuit rococo style, which even yet 
 prevails too much, and to substitute for it something in better 
 keeping with the noble old mediæval monuments of the land 
 than Belgium ; and it is gratifying to notice how largely this 
 improvement has been assisted by the knowledge and labours 
 of three Englishmen. The names of Messrs. King, Philp, 
 and Weale will at once occur to the recollection of all who 
 have watched the Belgian movement with interest. The first 
 named has dedicated himself to the illustration of, and the 
 furnishing of models for the reproduction of mediæval ecclesi¬ 
 astical buildings and furniture, from the largest structure to 
 the smallest specimen of goldsmiths’ work. The second has 
 conducted practically a manufactory in which the old Belgian 
 dinanderie ” or latten work has been admirably and eco¬ 
 nomically reproduced ; and the third is acknowledged to be 
 the most ardent, if not the most learned, writer on Belgian 
 archæology. He was the ruling and moving spirit in the 
 formation and illustration of the beautiful exhibition of 
 church furniture, &c. ancient and modem, which took place 
 at Mechlin in 1864, and which for the first time revealed 
 to public admiration the treasures long hidden in the out- 
 of-the-way churches of Belgium, and especially the master¬ 
 pieces of that Cellini of the early thirteenth century, Hugo 
 d’Oignies. 
 
 In Spain the spirit of conservatism of ancient monuments 
 of all kinds has been rapidly increasing of late years ; but, 
 unfortunately, wars, pronunciamentos, and individual pecula¬ 
 tion have left comparatively few models to serve as the basis 
 for any great change in church furniture and decoration. In 
 Russia a more active spirit is alive, and the Government, in 
 nourishing the national spirit, nourishes with it much external 
 grandeur and dignity in everything associated with the 
 peculiar national church. In Italy the exigencies of the 
 State limit expenditure upon ecclesiastical decoration* What 
 is done, however, is generally upon a magnificent scale, and 
 in a noble if somewhat impure and overloaded style. 
 
 Having thus generalised upon the relative positions of the 
 various European nations in relation to church furniture, 
 ornaments, and decoration, it may be well to point out briefly 
 what the Exhibition contains most noteworthy in this depart¬ 
 ment. Attention has been already paid to the mosaics, 
 which are the principal novelty on the present occasion. 
 Commencing with France, the ecclesiological student may be 
 directed to a structure in the park, which it is scarcely less 
 than an insult to the present state of architectural knowledge 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Decoration^ éc. 
 
 51 
 
 in that country to call a church or chapel. It is filled Mr.Dkjby 
 throughout with altars, fonts, pulpits, retables, grilles, images, decoea- 
 lamps, ‘‘coronæ lucis,” plate, vestments, hangings, sacristy 
 fittings, &c. ; and not only are these objects less favourably 
 displayed than they were in 1855, but they are for the most 
 part of inferior quality. The best object is, I think, the 
 massive corona lucis by Poussielgue Rusand, which hangs in 
 the middle of the chapel. Bonet père has a tolerable stone 
 altar, as has also Olivier. Grades shows skill as a zinc- 
 worker, and the difficulties of bossing and shaping are well 
 got over. Several of the great ironfounders, as Ducel and 
 Dm^enne, exhibit grilles, &c. ; but rarely in satisfactory 
 designs for the material, cast iron, which never looks well 
 when it assimilates too closely in style of design to wrought 
 iron. Upon the whole, the French cannot be congratulated 
 upon their exhibition in this section. 
 
 I have already indicated the aspect under which our in England, 
 mediæval work generally appeared to the majority of my 
 jury. The only exhibits"’ which met with much commen¬ 
 dation were some of the excellent wrought-iron work by 
 Messrs. Hart and Sons, of London, and by Messrs. Barnard 
 and Bishop, of Norwich. Mr. Skidmore’s clever work failed 
 to please, as did, in different ways, much church furniture 
 and decoration, which meets with ready sale and mucn 
 encouragement in England, such as forms the current pro¬ 
 duction of houses in that special line—those, for instance, of 
 Messrs. Cox and Co., Jones and Willis, Frank Smith, Heaton, 
 
 Butler, and Bayne, O’Connor, &:c. The cartoon for the 
 mosaic of the Last Supper, destined for the reredos of the 
 Westminster Abbey altar, prepared by Messrs. Clayton and 
 Bell for execution by Salviati, was warmly and justly com¬ 
 mended. A small piece of furniture, executed from designs 
 by Mr. Charles Foster Hayward, was admired; but with 
 that exception, and with that of others already mentioned, I 
 am bound to confess that but little of our ecclesiastical and 
 mediæval work met with any other than very '' faint praise.” 
 
 In the Belgian department, the great pulpit, by Goyers, of Belgium 
 Louvain, was held to be good for its money, as, in the Dutch, 
 was that of Cuypeis, of Amsterdam ; in both, however, it 
 was felt that errors had been committed in too much imitating 
 in wood architectural forms, parts, and proportions special to 
 stone. In this particular a very favourable contrast was 
 held to be shown in a very pretty priedieu ” in the Austrian 
 department, executed by Leimer, of Vienna, and in one or 
 two of the cases and portable shrines shown in the Bavarian 
 section. 
 
 20406 .— 20 . E 
 
52 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 OIÎ Decora¬ 
 tion, &c. 
 
 Good me- 
 diæval lead 
 work in 
 France. 
 
 Summing 
 
 up. 
 
 General 
 signs of 
 progress in 
 France. 
 
 In England. 
 
 In Austria. 
 
 Of retro¬ 
 gression in 
 Prussia, 
 Bavaria, 
 
 The best church works in the whole Exhibition were con¬ 
 sidered to be some of the admirable reproductions of mediæval 
 lead ornamentation by Mondait and Bechet, of Paris, and 
 the general precious metal work of Thierry, Rusand, Skid¬ 
 more, and Bachelier. As all of this will, no doubt, be more 
 properly estimated by reporters on other classes, it may 
 suffice here to simply indicate its general excellence. 
 
 To sum up the general impressions I have derived from a 
 close inspection of the whole Exhibition, as to the relative 
 progress in the arts of decoration made by each nation since 
 the last universal Exhibition, I may state advisedly that I 
 look upon the advance made by England as the most rapid 
 and meritorious of all. France, on her own ground, is master 
 of the position, so far as the universality of esprit "" in every 
 branch of production is concerned. Her artists are most 
 dexterous and prolific, but stand frequently in need of cor¬ 
 rection when their exuberant fancies lead them into trivialities. 
 On all sides in her beautiful Exhibition, there is evidence of 
 the danger which besets the too ready hand, which runs away 
 as it were, with its possessor. Because an artist can touch 
 
 off^^ a wreath of fiowers with enviable facility, there is no 
 reason that we should be smothered with roses on all 
 occasions. All that France needs now is greater chastity of 
 taste and more elegant simplicity ; in richness she is without 
 a rival. 
 
 England manifests signal improvement rather in the sup¬ 
 pression of the violently bad than in the achievement of 
 perfect success in what is absolutely good. What our industry 
 still shows the want of is workmen who can paint and model 
 with tolerable facility. In decorative painting in artificial 
 keys and scales, as en camaieu,” en grisaille,” rehaussé 
 ‘‘ d’or et divers métaux,” &c., and in cabinet sculpture, the 
 French training of the workman, and especially his compara¬ 
 tive sobriety, give him a great advantage over the corre¬ 
 sponding class in England, and the national products show it. 
 Still, both design and execution in all branches in both 
 countries are much better than they were, and an average 
 good quality is infinitely better sustained than it used to be, 
 even half a dozen years ago. 
 
 In Germany, Austria has advanced more than Prussia ; 
 since the former country shows much less of that exti^vagant 
 rococo or bad imitation of Louis Quinze work, than she used 
 to delight in ; and the latter has acquired a certain stiff 
 ungainliness, of average good intention, and has apparently 
 lost much of the more refined classicality which Schinkel and 
 his school brought into vogue. In Bavaria, Holland, and 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Decoration y <ùc. 53 
 
 Belgium there are signs of retrogression. Russia is much 
 where she was, and the other northern nations are rather 
 improving. Italy is becoming more showy in style, but with 
 certain exceptions remains less true to her old traditions of 
 excellence. 
 
 Happily, India is still the glorious old India all true artists 
 have learnt to venerate ; and it is amidst her treasures and 
 those of other Oriental nations that more inspiration is to be 
 acquired than elsewhere in this grand and unrivalled gathering 
 of the nations. Let us hope that British working bees will 
 visit the great hive in thousands and come back “ laden with 
 honeyed spoils to enrich and benefit themselves and the 
 industrial arts of their native land. 
 
 Me. Digbt 
 Wyatt 
 ON Decoea- 
 TION, &c. 
 
 Holland, 
 and Bel¬ 
 gium. 
 
 Italy, doubts 
 ful, but 
 India still 
 the true and 
 honoured 
 teacher. 
 

 
 
 
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Mi\ Dighy Wyatt on Canpets, Tapestry, &c. 
 
 1 
 
 Report on Carpets, Tapestry, and other Stuffs for 
 Furniture.— (Class 18.)—By M. Dioby Wyatt, 
 Architect and Juror for Class 15. 
 
 There are two distinct aspects under which all carpets 
 present themselves generically—the one industrial, and the 
 other artistic. The industrial aspect comprises the theory 
 of manufacture, and the relations of the fabric to comfort, 
 durability, and economy. The artistic aspect takes cogni¬ 
 zance of the greater or less beauty of the design which 
 adorns the carpet. That design may generally be regarded 
 as falling into one of two categories—viz., firstly, into what 
 the French call a fond,” or unobtrusive basis, calculated to 
 serve as a background, from which furniture may be satis¬ 
 factorily detached ; or, secondly, a picture complete in itself, 
 and upon which the eye may rest with complacency, pro¬ 
 vided that the ensemble or whole effect of the design 
 can be embraced from a single point of view. Such being 
 the general outline of the analysis of the subject, as it 
 presents itself to my mind, I propose to adopt its various 
 headings as the skeleton upon which it may be well to hang 
 the various remarks upon detail which will constitute the 
 bulk of the present report. 
 
 Beginning, then, with the industrial aspect of the subject, 
 it will be found that in all countries the original and com¬ 
 monest description of carpet differs but little from the ordi¬ 
 nary coarse woollen cloth of the nation. In the East, the 
 cradle of carpet manufacture, the suttringee,"' or common 
 cotton rug, or small carpet, is an institution ” throughout 
 India, as not very long ago the Kidderminster '' was with us. 
 The first fundamental improvement upon the simple weaving 
 together of a cotton or woollen warp and weft consisted in 
 the doubling in substance of the woollen or more commonly 
 worsted, warps ; and the combination with them of wefts in 
 various coloured yarns of wool. Then came the introduction, 
 as backing (out of sight), of linen and hempen yarns, of 
 closer texture and greater strength than can be obtained 
 in wool. Varieties of these simple operations form what 
 are known in commerce as Kidderminster,’’ Venetian,” 
 and Scotch ” carpeting ; and of these all countries make 
 more or less—our own trade in this cheap class of goods 
 being very large. They are principally made in Yorkshire, 
 Durham, and Scotland ; the trade of Kidderminster itself 
 bein^ now confined to a superior class of s:oods altoo-ether. 
 20406.—23. A 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt on 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 General as¬ 
 pects of the 
 subject— 
 the indus¬ 
 trial and the 
 artistic; the 
 former in 
 relation to 
 use, the 
 latter to 
 delight. 
 Carpet de¬ 
 sign supplies 
 either a 
 background 
 or a picture. 
 
 The above 
 constitute 
 the chief 
 headings of 
 this Report. 
 
 I.—The in¬ 
 dustrial 
 aspect of 
 the subject. 
 
 Original 
 simple wo¬ 
 ven carpet ; 
 
 as Kidder¬ 
 minster, 
 Scotch, In¬ 
 dian, &c.. 
 
2 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mr. Di»by 
 Wyatt on 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 tufted car¬ 
 pets. 
 
 excellent, 
 but costly, 
 
 from hand¬ 
 work. 
 
 how manu¬ 
 factured. 
 
 Of common goods the Exhibition contains very few samples 
 from any country, the competition amongst the exhibitors 
 raging almt)st exclusively between those engaged in pro¬ 
 ducing the highest class of carpets, such as involve the 
 execution of elaborate designs in the most durable shape. 
 The next stage of elaboration in manufacture consists in 
 making both the warp and weft in very strong materials, as 
 of flaxen or hempen yarns, and of interweaving with them 
 tufts or short lengths of wools of various colours, known in 
 France as moquettes , so as to make up a thick woollen face, 
 tied in by the stronger yarns. Once safely tied in, it is, of 
 course, possible to cut the ends of the doubled up wools 
 without fear of their pulling out from their backing, and 
 these, pressed down and trodden back by the foot, spread 
 and acquire thereby an additional consistence. This it is 
 which makes all the common class of Turkish, Indian, and 
 Algerian carpets so very durable and agreeable to the tread. 
 Simple as this process may appear, it has enjoyed as wide 
 and uninterrupted a sway as almost any other in the history 
 of industrial art. 
 
 The original carpets which the Crusaders brought with 
 them on their return from the East, to gladden the eyes of 
 the faithful with samples of the skill of the infidel,’^ were 
 made in the very same kind of loom as that which may now 
 be seen in the machinery gallery of the Exhibition, with a 
 half-worked Smyrna rug still round upon its warp. This 
 rug is the true type of the hand-worked tufted carpet, 
 whether it take the shape of a perfect, true Axminster in 
 England, of the celebrated Royal manufacture of the Savon¬ 
 nerie in France, of the finest India or Persian carpet, or the 
 ordinary Smyrna, or, as it is commonly called, the Turkey 
 carpet of commerce. The operation of manufacture may 
 be briefly described as follows :—A strong warp of string is 
 stretched, generally vertically, from beam to beam of the 
 loom, each alternate string being harnessed to the heddles 
 of the loom. Guided by a drawing, the divisions of which 
 correspond with the width of any given number of warp- 
 strings, intersected at right angles by a given number of 
 weft-strings, the weaver proceeds to wind in and out between 
 the warp-strings differently coloured tufts of wool, in such 
 wise as to leave the ends of the tufts sticking out at right 
 angles to the plane of the warp. Having twisted in a row 
 of tufts all across the loom, he works with the treadle the 
 harness of the loom, raising the alternate strings so as to 
 form the passage between the threads which the weaver 
 calls his shed.” Through this he throws his shuttle, 
 carrying with it a strong weft-string. By depressing another 
 
Mr, Dighy Wyatt on Carpets, Tapestry^ &c. 
 
 3 
 
 treadle, he raises a different set of warp-strings, so as to form 
 another shed, through which he throws back the shuttle to 
 its original position. He thus weaves a few strokes, and 
 then proceeds, with what is called the batten, or lay,"^ to 
 beat back the web and warp strings which he has woven 
 together, so as to make them hold in the woollen tufts as 
 tightly as possible. When that has been evenly done for 
 the whole width of the carpet, he re-commences twisting in 
 between the warp-threads another set of woollen tufts, which 
 he in turn secures by interweaving and beating back ; and 
 so with infinite care and patience he labours on until the 
 whole width and length of the original warp-strings are 
 covered with this woollen tufting. The surface is then 
 trimmed over with large shears, in order to cut back to one 
 uniform level any rebellious tufts which may raise their 
 heads above their fellows. Such is, was, and probably long 
 will be, the process of manufacturing the most beautiful 
 carpets which have ever been made, or which as far as 
 I can suppose ever wiU be made. The defects of the 
 process are obviously its tediousness, and consequent great 
 cost; nevertheless, the Exhibition is full of specimens of 
 such work of the most elaborate description ; and these made 
 not only in countries such as India, Turkey, Russia, Algeria, 
 and Holland, where labour is cheap, but in France and 
 England, where machinery is all but human and skilled 
 labour all but priceless. In the former of the two last- 
 named countries the carpets of the Savonnerie and of 
 Aubusson, and in the latter that of Mr. Lapworth, exhibit 
 elaborate processes of hand-working in their highest per¬ 
 fection, next always to the one magnificent specimen sent 
 by the Minister to the Maharajah of Cashmere, and exhibited 
 in the Indian department. 
 
 One of the Tunisian carpets and one of the Algerian also 
 stand out in superior excellence before the bulk of the Turkey 
 carpets, which, in point of technical execution, are of a well- 
 sustained high order of merit. 
 
 The original process of simple weaving having failed to 
 ensure sufficient durability to the fabric, since wool trampled 
 over in the direction of, or transversely to, the twisted staple 
 of the wool is readily trodden out and unravelled—its own 
 elasticity helping—it was found that the same staple trodden 
 back at right angles to its length was one of the most dura¬ 
 ble substances possible, in proportion to its bulk. To ensure 
 this condition of weaving by a mechanical instead of by a 
 solely hand-worked process, such as that last described, what 
 is known as Brussels ” carpet-weaving was devised— 
 that is to say, the first operation of the previously well- 
 
 A 2 
 
 Me. DieBY 
 Wyatt on 
 Caepets, 
 Tapestey 
 &c. 
 
 Samples in 
 the Exhibi¬ 
 tion from 
 India, Tur¬ 
 key, Russia, 
 Algeria, 
 Holland^ 
 Belgium, 
 Spain, Aus¬ 
 tria, Prussia, 
 Prance, and 
 England. 
 
 “ Brussels 
 carpets ; 
 
Me. Digby 
 Wyatt oi^ 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 how manu¬ 
 factured, 
 
 4 Pxports on the Paris Exhibition, 
 
 known velvet-weaving process was applied to the manufac¬ 
 ture of carpets. For the sake of simplicity, let us suppose 
 that the carpet is to be produced in one colour, without any 
 figure upon its surface. The worsted warp, as well as a 
 hempen or linen warp, having been harnessed to the 
 treadles ” and heddles,^' as for common weaving, and the 
 passage for the shuttle formed, the weaver throws over, 
 transversely, a hempen or linen shoot, making by throws 
 following the alternate action of the treadles a coarse canvas 
 starting. He then begins to interweave his worsted warp, 
 and at this stage the special peculiarity of his process begins. 
 The difficulty is to raise up the worsted warp so as to form 
 the little loops of wool noticeable on the face of a Brussels 
 carpet. This is done by forming a shed ” or shuttle-way 
 between the woollen and the linen warps, the former being 
 raised and the latter depressed. At this stage the weaver 
 inserts a small iron rod into the shed,’' or shuttle-way, and 
 presses it home towards his breast. He then works his 
 treadles so as to draw down the worsted warp and raise up 
 the linen one, so confining the iron rod and forming a new 
 shuttle-way. Across this he throws his shuttle, and then 
 again raises the woollen warp. Another iron rod is inserted, 
 and similarly woven in until some half-dozen are confined. 
 The weaver then withdraws the one nearest him for re-use 
 beyond those furthest from him, which are left in to keep 
 the work steady until sufficient weaving is done to prevent 
 any risk of the loops pulling out. Care is of course taken, 
 by beating a sort of strong comb (the ‘^batten") back 
 towards the breast of the weaver, to keep the work well 
 closed up and compact as it goes on. In this way a plain 
 Brussels carpet may be made ; but the problem is much 
 complicated when patterns with several colours are required. 
 For each separate colour a separate worsted warp is indis¬ 
 pensable ; and it is obvious that lengths of each thread of the 
 warp must be used, varying with the proportions of each 
 colour brought up, by looping, to the surface of the fabric. 
 Each thread, therefore, requires to be wound, at the end 
 furthest from the weaver’s '' breast roll," round a separate 
 bobbin, weighted so as to give it a slight tendency to rotate 
 in its frame in a direction contrary to that in which it would 
 be înoved by pulling up the thread to form the loop. This 
 gives an equal amount of tension to the woollen warp-threads, 
 whether they be much or little used in the formation of the 
 pattern. Of course all the bobbins, with the yarns of the 
 same colour, are fixed upon the same frame ; and the carpet 
 is generally spoken of as a two-frame, three-frame, four or 
 five frame," or ply " carpet, according to the number of 
 
Mr, Dighy Wyatt on Carpets, Tapestry, &g. 5 
 
 such separate frames or sets of coloured warps requisite for 
 the development of the pattern. The mounting of the loom 
 is now generally effected on the Jacquard’’ system, the 
 beautiful automatic operation of which raises for every 
 stroke of the shuttle and insertion of the iron rods just those 
 threads from each frame which should be brought to the 
 surface in order to form the pattern with proper loops. 
 Some idea of the complication arrived at at this stage may be 
 formed from a knowledge that to weave a good figured carpet, 
 yard wide, involves the use of about 1,800 bobbins and threads 
 for each web. 
 
 The conversion of this from a hand-worked process into a 
 power-loom process is one of the greatest triumphs of modern 
 ingenuity ; and it is most honourable to English ingenuity 
 and perseverance that every difficulty has now been over¬ 
 come in this country, and that Kidderminster, Durham and 
 Glasgow now manufacture Brussels carpets for all the world. 
 Strange to say, however, in spite of the general consumption 
 of the article, I scarcely observed a Brussels ” carpet in 
 the whole Exhibition. 
 
 To convert a Brussels carpet into a pile ” carpet, all 
 that is requisite is to borrow the second operation from 
 velvet-making. This consists in ploughing a groove into 
 the surface of the iron rods around which the loops are 
 twisted, and taking care that the rods are so inserted as 
 to keep this groove always furthest from the back of the 
 carpet. A sharp cutter run along the line of this groove 
 from side to side at once releases the rod and forms the 
 cut pile. The surface is subsequently trimmed, or shorn, 
 to make the whole perfectly true and level. A carpet so 
 woven becomes what is commonly known as a Jacquard 
 woven cut-pile carpet, and this description of carpet forms 
 the staple of the French and English goods sent to the 
 Exhibition. I shall presently note the leading exceptions. 
 In 1855 everyone interested in such machines was delighted 
 with the loom for manufacturing Brussels and velvet-pile 
 carpeting which was exhibited by Mr. Wood, of Monkhill, 
 and which was as perfectly self-acting as any such machine 
 could be conceived to be. 
 
 The next stage in the working out of carpet-making ma/- 
 chinery was the endeavour to get rid of the complicated sets 
 of frames with infinite bobbins for multiplied colours. This 
 has been attempted in two ways, one unsuccessful, the other 
 successful. The former by attempting to print and through 
 
 dye ” a plain tufted fabric so as to cover it with various 
 coloured patterns. This failed because it turned out to be 
 impossible to more than superficially dye the wools, if the 
 
 Me. Digby 
 Wyatt on 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 involving 
 great com¬ 
 plications. 
 
 how con¬ 
 verted in 
 England 
 from a 
 handworked 
 to a “ power 
 loom ” ma¬ 
 nufacture. 
 
 Process, and 
 conversion 
 to “ pile ” 
 fabric, with 
 Jacquard 
 pattern. 
 
 Simplifica¬ 
 tion of pro- 
 cees, 
 
6 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Me. Digby 
 Wyatt on 
 Caepets, 
 Tapestey, 
 &c. 
 
 by Wbit- 
 tock’s in¬ 
 vention ; 
 with Cross- 
 ley’s im¬ 
 provements. 
 
 Tests of 
 excellence in 
 carpet ma¬ 
 nufacture. 
 
 fabric was of sufficient closeness of texture to be ^ood and 
 durable in wear. The successful process—the brilliant in¬ 
 vention of Mr. Richard Whittock of Edinburgh—in which, 
 under the auspices of Sir Francis Crossley, an immense 
 trade is carried on at Halifax, consists in translating upon 
 paper the finished pattern as it should appear, when the carpet 
 is laid down, into another pattern representing what would 
 be the pattern if all the threads of which the finished carpet 
 would be composed should be pulled out and laid flat side by 
 side. A series of threads are then coloured to correspond 
 with this pattern (suppressing the lengths usually thrown to 
 the back of a carpet made on the old plan) by an ingenious 
 operation too complicated for description in this report. The 
 threads so dyed are then arranged as warps, and in that 
 form present a most singular appearance, not indicating in 
 the slightest degree to the uninitiated eye the pattern in¬ 
 tended to be ultimately realised. The subsequent operation 
 of weaving up the printed warps restores the translation to 
 the original. Either Brussels or velvet pile carpets may of 
 course be made by this process, and such carpets are 
 generally known as printed warp ” carpets^ The chief 
 alleged drawback to these carpets is that the printing of the 
 woollen threads is not supposed to give them quite as good 
 or solid a colouring as when they are dyed in the yarn. The 
 chief alleged drawback to the Jacquard pile carpets is that 
 they are apt to run short in the staple. Mr. Alexander 
 Whittock of Edinburgh, in an excellent paper on carpet 
 manufacture and design read at the Society of Arts in 1856, 
 points out the extreme economy effected by his relative’s 
 improvement. Not only,'’ says he, is the Jacquard super- 
 seded, and the large frames done away with, but it is possi- 
 ble to place three looms to be occupied on this new fabric 
 into the space which one Brussels loom requires. One 
 beam is substituted for 1,300 little beams or bobbins, and a 
 better cover is made with 780 threads than with 2,600.” 
 The four great tests of excellence in both Brussels and 
 pile carpeting are—first, the length of the loop, or pile ; 
 second, the quality of the woollen yarns ; third, the number 
 of threads to the inch in width ; and, fourth, the compactness 
 of weaving at the back, so as to perfectly tie in the loops and 
 cut filaments which form the pile. If the pile, or tufts, can 
 be made perfectly secure from pulling out in wear, the 
 longer they are, or rather the higher they rise from the back 
 of the carpet, the greater will its durability be. It is much 
 easier to tie in moquettes,” or little tufts of wool {)laited in 
 by hand securely (because the threads of the tuft are already 
 intertwisted and matted together before tying), than any 
 
Mr, Dighy Wyatt on Carpets^ Tapestry^ &g. 
 
 1 
 
 loop or tuft formed from wool or worsted which has been 
 spun, or has once been brought into a state of even moderate 
 tension : since the latter operation injures the natural 
 tendency of the fibre to interlock. That is why the hand¬ 
 worked Turkish and Indian goods can be made so extra¬ 
 ordinarily lasting. Among the Algerian rugs in the present 
 Exhibition was one I examined with the British juror,— 
 Mr. Peter Graham,—which, for fulness and length of pile, 
 combined with admirable strength in the tying in, was, 
 although of rough appearance, from imperfect shearing, an 
 admirable model of what such a carpet should be in texture 
 and mode of manufacture. 
 
 In mentioning Mr. Graham’s name, I feel it right to 
 acknowledge how much I learnt from a close examination of 
 the products of Class 18, with one so thoroughly competent 
 to judge them in every respect as that gentleman. 
 
 The next great stage of improvement in carpet making 
 aimed at the suppression of the complicated frames,” or 
 plys,” for each separate colour, and yet the employment of 
 wools dyed in the yarn.” 
 
 This has been achieved by the adoption of one of the most 
 brilliant ideas which ever entered the head of a manufacturer. 
 
 Hitherto, we have seen all attempts at carpet weaving 
 with a pile made either by inserting tufts of wool or by 
 bringing the warp-threads into loops to the surface for 
 subsequent cutting. The process I am about to describe 
 goes upon the entirely different system of attaching the tufts 
 or cut-pile to a strong weft-thread, and then so interweaving 
 this tufted weft-thread with linen or hempen warp-threads, as to 
 make a compact fabric, with all the woollen pile on the surface. 
 If it is difficult to do this in a plain monochrome fabric, how 
 much more difficult must it be to so carry it out as to produce 
 a figure'of various colours upon the surface ? The present Exhi¬ 
 bition contains many attestations of the successful resolution 
 of the problem by Mr. James Templeton, of Glasgow. 
 
 To this gentleman I applied for some special information 
 as to his most ingenious invention, and received a kind and 
 most modest reply, in which, after doing full justice to 
 contemporary makers of carpets by other processes, he goes 
 on to state :—You are aware that the Axminster carpet, 
 first made in the town of Axminster, was an imitation, and 
 was made or woven in the same manner as the Syrian or 
 Turkey carpet^—that is, by tufting or knotting on to a 
 vertically placed warp the yarns which form the surface and 
 pattern. This was, and still is, a very tedious process. For 
 ten years previous to 1839 (in which year I patented the 
 invention of making or weaving Axminster carpeting by 
 
 Mr. Digbt 
 Wyatt or 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 Brilliant 
 
 improve¬ 
 
 ment 
 
 effected by 
 Templeton 
 of Glasgow. 
 
 His process 
 of manufac¬ 
 ture based 
 on “ che¬ 
 nille ” weav- 
 
Mfi. Digbt 
 Wyatt oy 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 Difficulties 
 attendaut 
 upon its 
 introduc¬ 
 tion, but 
 ultimate 
 great suc¬ 
 cess. 
 
 8 Reports on the Paris Exhibition, 
 
 a new process) I was a shawl manufacturer in Paisley, and, 
 amongst other goods, made a great many of what are termed 
 chenille shawls, the process of which was to weave a pattern 
 on a warp, the warp having been spaced in the reed according 
 to the depth or thickness of pile required. This first cloth 
 was then cut between the spaces into shreds, and then, these 
 shreds having been twisted into a spiral form, they were 
 woven on to another warp, marks for the weaver’s guidance 
 having been woven in the first weaving to enable him to 
 place the shreds so as to bring out the complete pattern in 
 the second weaving. The idea occurred to us (one of my 
 weavers and myself) that, if cloth could be so woven as, when 
 cut into shreds and not twisted to form chenille, but left free, 
 so that the two cut edges of the shred might collapse and 
 form a pile, or fur, as we term it, it would, when rewoven on 
 to another warp or surface, produce a velvet, a pile, or an 
 Axminster surface. This was accomplished by a certain 
 mode of gauze-weaving, and a patent was taken out for it. 
 In protecting this patent, in 1847, on a trial in which we got 
 a verdict on all the issues, the Judge (the late Lord 
 Kobertson), when re-examining a witness, smartly remarked, 
 after he had seen . the difference between our products and 
 those of our opponents (our opponents wished to make out 
 that ours was only the old chenille process), ^ Oh ! I see— 
 this new fabric (or shred) has its backbone where it ought to 
 be, and the chenille has its backbone in its middle.’ I 
 mention this circumstance to help you to recognize the 
 difference between the two ; but, if you take any narrow strip 
 of cloth and twist it, you will at once see what was meant. 
 The chenille or twisted strip or shred becoming spiral, gave 
 a pattern on both sides of the cloth, the cut edges standing 
 out, when twisted, in every direction ; while our backbone, 
 with its vertebræ, formed a ready-made pile for throwing on 
 one side of the cloth only. 
 
 The foregoing will give you an idea of the origin and 
 basis of the structure of our patent Axminster carpeting. 
 Great were the difficulties met with in prosecuting it to a 
 successful issue, involving too great a variety of gradual 
 improvements to describe in detail in the compass of a letter 
 (or oi‘such a report as the present). Every change or new 
 improvement in manufacture has its difficulties: this one 
 certainly had its share, and I do not believe that any con¬ 
 sideration or remuneration would induce me to fight the first 
 three or four years’ battles over again. By perseverance, 
 however, in the course of years, prejudice was disarmed and 
 difficulties gradually disappeared or were overcome. By 
 aiming at superior fabric and pattern, employing first-class 
 
Mr, Digby Wyatt on Carpets^ Tapestry, &g. 
 
 9 
 
 designers and workmen, and also by providing the best ^yatt^on 
 machinery for the various processes, step by step our manu- 
 facture has attained the position it now occupies. &c. 
 
 I need hardly remind you that there was a time when incrëâTed 
 first-class artists could hardly be induced to prepare patterns pa\d^to^de- 
 or designs for textile fabrics. sign. 
 
 In 1851 we induced Mr. E. T. Paris to give us a design tîn’&^viewï' 
 for a medallion carpet and another for a rich table-cover, thereon, 
 both of which we then exhibited ; and some years ago you 
 yourself were kind enough to prepare for us a series of most 
 suggestive sheets of sketches. More recently still, your 
 professional occupations engrossing you so very much, Mr. 
 
 Owen Jones has favoured us with carpet designs, several of 
 which are now ^ on cloth ’ at the Paris Exhibition. I am 
 glad to know that now other manufacturers of textile fabrics, 
 carpeting and other figured goods, employ superior talent, 
 and sometimes even genius, for these designs (and, from the 
 superior art-education of foreign manufacturers and their 
 workmen or designers, unless this is done to a still greater 
 extent we may be left in the background with regard to 
 many of our textile fabrics) in which, undoubtedly, taste and 
 experienced judgment are as essential to perfect commercial 
 success as the material, even, of w^hich any textile fabric may 
 be made.” 
 
 Mr. Templeton’s goods, of which there are many first-rate 
 specimens in the Exhibition, some of which have been manu¬ 
 factured for other exhibitors, have now taken a firm hold in 
 public estimation, and his trade is most extensive. 
 
 Other British makers are now bestirring themselves in the 
 same direction, and, as Mr. Templeton's patent rights become and Lewis’s 
 public property, there is no doubt that the Kidderminster minsters.”'"' 
 manufacturers will take kindly ” to the chenille process ; 
 and, indeed, already Messrs. Brinton and Lewis, with their 
 Indian Axminster,” tread closely on Mr. Templeton s 
 heels. 
 
 What the future of the carpet manufacture in France and 
 other countries will be it is as yet very hard to prognosticate. Templeton, 
 In simplification of process with elaborate results they are at &^Bidnfon 
 present far behind Templeton, Crossley, and Brinton. & Lewis. 
 
 Before leaving the subject of the technical processes of 
 various countries, I should note that, although carpets are 
 now made at Aubusson with velvet pile, the original and 
 special process is a hand-worked one, analogous to that by 
 which Gobelins and Beauvais tapestries are produced. The 
 main difference consists in the texture of the woollen yarns. 
 
 I now turn to that which will probably prove the more ii.— The 
 interesting portion of my subject—its artistic aspect. It is p^tof the 
 
 subject. 
 
10 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Me. Digby 
 Wyatt oi^ 
 Caepets, 
 Tapestey, 
 &c. 
 
 Condition of 
 design ap¬ 
 plied to 
 carpets in 
 1855. 
 
 Mr. Red¬ 
 grave’s 
 views there¬ 
 on, and 
 condem¬ 
 nation 
 of French 
 eccentrici¬ 
 ties. 
 
 no doubt good to make a warm^ comfortable, durable carpet, 
 but it is something little less essential to enjoyment to make 
 it beautiful also. To do the latter, happily, entails the loss 
 of no single excellence aimed at by those who would attain 
 to the former, and, as far as one^s experience in the past 
 extends, it is pleasant to remember that the most beautiful 
 carpets have been also amongst the best and most lasting. 
 Too often in industrial art the beautiful perishes while the 
 ugly endures, but this has been by no means the case with 
 carpets. 
 
 Before instituting any comparison between two bodies in 
 movement, it is well to note the starting-point of each, or 
 rather their relative position at a given point of time. Let 
 us assume as a good point of departure for the comparison of 
 the changes which a period of 12 years has wrought in the 
 artistic aspect of the French and English carpet manufac¬ 
 tures, the condition of both at the last Parisian Exhibition in 
 1855. Mr. Richard Redgrave, than whom no one is entitled 
 to speak with more weight, from his long and close observa¬ 
 tion of cause and effect in the progress of international 
 manufactures, in the last-mentioned year made a careful 
 record of what he then observed, and found much reason to 
 condemn the irrational style of the majority of the most 
 highly premiated of the French designs.^ He thus described 
 a leading Parisian carpet in 1855:—A mossy border, 
 powdered with daisies, margins a square space, wherein are 
 clustered, as in a parterre, flowers of the largest size and 
 gaudiest hues. From among these flowers grow up funereal 
 yews, and through the openings of their interweaving 
 branches are seen vistas of sunny landscapes, lakes, moun¬ 
 tains, and clear blue sky. Above, the stag-like branches of 
 the trees twine into fantastic compartments, in which, or 
 through which, are seen pictured in the upper air manufac¬ 
 tories, with their tall chimneys, steam-engines, implements 
 of agriculture and of art, and groups of the products of 
 industry. Then garlands of flowers dangle upwards far 
 into the canopy of sky, on which, as it were, in the very 
 vault of heaven itself, are heaped together grapes, bagpipes, 
 vats, melons, pipes and tabors, sheaves, fiddles, pitchforks, 
 and coats of arms. This, strange as is the description, is a 
 carpet worked for the city of Bordeaux at a great expense, 
 and this, too, designed by one who has received many medals, 
 the manufacturer being honoured by the jury with a first- 
 class medal also. (Mr. Redgrave had previously described 
 
 * Mr. Redgrave on “ Design as applied to Manufactures.’’ Reports to 
 Government on the Paris Universal Exhibition. 
 
Mr. Digby Wyatt on Carpets, Tapestry, &e. 
 
 11 
 
 some other equally wonderful specimens of extravagance in 
 carpet design.) These are taken almost at random ; notes 
 of many other important works are but repetitions of the 
 same characteristics. What wonder, then, that within the 
 circle of the panorama nineteen-twentieths (this is said 
 advisedly) of the carpets there displayed—carpets for the 
 household, not for the palace—were equally treated as 
 pictures, very many of them consisting of flowers combined 
 with landscapes ; and, of course, as being made in breadths, 
 repeating such pictures many times over the same floor.’^ 
 
 Such was no extraordinary illustration of the current 
 faults of French carpet design as they appeared to a culti¬ 
 vated observer in 1855, one, however, keenly alive to the 
 manufacturing skill and graphic power which the execution 
 of such difficult productions may be said to have wasted. 
 The English goods exhibited on the same occasion, if less 
 ambitious, were more reasonable ; if involving less draughts¬ 
 manship in the preparation of the designs, they were 
 certainly carried out in quieter and better taste. This wise 
 restraint may have been partly due to our scarcely posses¬ 
 sing at that date the manual dexterity of the French dessina¬ 
 teurs pour étoffes^ but in a yet higher degree may be attri¬ 
 buted to the enunciation of sound principles of industrial 
 design which was made in this country at periods imme¬ 
 diately anterior and subsequent to the Exhibition of 1851, 
 which gave an extraordinary impulse to popular as well as 
 professional taste. These wholesome doctrines, thanks to 
 Owen Jones, Mr. Redgrave himself, and to others, took good 
 root, and, after sundry struggles, fructified. To them and 
 to the practical common-sense of many of our best manufac¬ 
 turers we are indebted for the great improvement manifested 
 by the English carpets of 1855 over those shown in 1851, 
 and by the English carpets of 1867 over those of 1855. 
 Writing in the last-named year, Mr. Redgrave says :—In 
 England the battle of principles has been fairly fought, and 
 is nearly won, for, while our inventions for printing carpets, 
 either in the piece or in the warp, have placed unlimited 
 decorative means at the command of the manufacturers, 
 there is evidence of a more restrained use of these means 
 than formerly was seen even in woven carpets, these having 
 at the same time been greatly and visibly improved in taste 
 and in true principles of decoration.” 
 
 Thus it would appear, on the testimony of one well able 
 to judge, that, although the balance of dexterity prepon¬ 
 derated in 1855 in favour of the French, that of correct taste 
 was clearly inclining towards the English. In the present 
 Exhibition, with still greater certainty, the same may be 
 
 Me. Digby 
 Wyatt on 
 Caepets, 
 Tapestey, 
 &c. 
 
 Contempo¬ 
 rary design 
 in England 
 purer 
 
 though less 
 facile. 
 
 True canons 
 of taste 
 now satis¬ 
 factorily 
 vindicated 
 by English 
 Exhibitors, 
 —exceptions 
 noted. 
 
12 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt on 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 Tempta¬ 
 tions to 
 make car¬ 
 pets picto¬ 
 rial in de¬ 
 sign. 
 
 Dangers of 
 so doing. 
 
 Why- 
 I.—From 
 varying 
 sources of 
 illumina¬ 
 tion. 
 
 II.—From 
 falsifications 
 of perspec¬ 
 tive. 
 
 averred, but with the imjiortant distinction that the progress 
 of the English in the direction of good command over both 
 colour and form in the ready adaptation of ornament to any 
 given set of conditions has been much more rapid than that 
 of the French towards sobriety and prudence in the class of 
 patterns they use^ or rather abuse, for the enrichment of 
 their most elaborate carpets. If we except one or two 
 extraordinary errors in point of taste made by isolated 
 English exhibitors, the productions of the whole of the 
 residue may be accepted as (fee from any serious reproach, 
 while in France designers and manufacturers of the greatest 
 eminence, even those who direct Imperial establishments, 
 continue to perpetrate clever excesses in all directions— 
 excesses of so flagrant a nature as to be irredeemable by any 
 amount of pictorial skill. It is, in fact, from the super¬ 
 abundance of pictorial facility that most of what is reprehen¬ 
 sible in design arises. 
 
 There is no class of products of industry more difficult 
 to do justice to in international exhibitions than carpets. 
 Sufficient space can never be afforded for their display as 
 they will be used, and they have consequently to be hung 
 up and shown as pictures. Now, as it may be looked upon 
 as a fundamental principle that no picture could make an 
 agreeable carpet ; so likewise, it may be conceded that no 
 good carpet can make a satisfactory picture. The con¬ 
 sequence of this vicious system of exhibition is that the 
 greatest possible temptation is offered to the manufacturer 
 competing with his fellows to depart from what is fitting 
 for a carpet in order to make his carpet look a little better 
 when exhibited as a picture. I would not go so far as to 
 attribute to this all the family of bad pictures presented 
 by the florid carpets of the Exhibition ; but it certainly tends 
 to their retention long after they have received their exe¬ 
 quatur at the hands of the faithful in art.” The chief 
 reasons why what is admissible in a picture, or, with certain 
 differences, in mural decoration or paper-hanging, is in¬ 
 admissible in a carpet (or, indeed, in any form of orna¬ 
 mental flooring), may be briefly summed up thus :— 
 
 First. The varying sources of light usual in an apartment 
 falsify any attempt at chiaroscuro in the carpet, while, with¬ 
 out more or less light and shade, pictoral representation is 
 impossible. 
 
 Second. The effect of lineal or aerial perspective, or even 
 of undulation, runs counter to the sense of security which 
 sliould be assured by the surface upon which the foot is 
 planted. 
 
Mr, Dighy Wyatt on Carpets, Tapestry, &c. 
 
 13 
 
 Third. There are but few natural objects suitable for 
 representation pictorially upon which it would be agreeable 
 to tread ; and it is impossible to divest the mind of a certain 
 sense of impropriety in trampling even upon the represen¬ 
 tation of what it would be painful to tread upon in reality. 
 
 Fourth. The better the picture the more annoying any 
 soiling of the surface upon which it is portrayed becomes ; 
 and an uncomfortable nervous apprehension takes the place 
 of the free and unrestrained use of what should be a comfort 
 rather than a fret. 
 
 Fifth. Carpets require to be traversed in all directions ; 
 the point of view can never, therefore, be fixed. It is, of 
 course, a fundamental necessity in pictorial representation 
 that the position of the spectator of what is represented 
 should be predetermined, and the only proper point of view 
 for the picture should correspond with such pre-supposed 
 position. As the point of view of a carpet can scarcely 
 ever be fixed, it consequently becomes an improper plane 
 upon which to project pictorial form. 
 
 Sixth. To properly see and enjoy a picture the spectator 
 should have free liberty to retire from its surface until his 
 eye is able to comprehend the whole at a glance, and then 
 to approach, in order to be able to examine the careful 
 reproduction of detail. In the case of a picture delineated 
 on the surface of a carpet such a liberty can very rarely 
 exist, since the eye of the spectator can scarcely ever be 
 withdrawn from it more than about six feet without looking 
 at it at such angles as to produce rapid foreshortening and 
 a consequent falsification of relative dimensions in the objects 
 portrayed. 
 
 Such being a few among the many good reasons which 
 exist why a carpet or any other ornamental floor or floor 
 covering should never be a picture, it is strange that through¬ 
 out the Western world, from the classical ages to the present, 
 in the form either of mosaic, tarsia, majolica, stone or marble 
 inlay, or embroidered or woven carpeting, there has been 
 an almost incessant effort to produce horizontal pictures in 
 materials ill calculated for tneir satisfactory execution. 
 
 In the East, however, better traditions and better taste 
 have been preserved. India and Persia, Turkey and Morocco 
 have steadily maintained the beautiful geometrical grouping 
 of conventional forms which are most fitting for use in the 
 textile arts, and most especially for such fabrics as cannot 
 be exhibited vertically when in ordinary use. 
 
 Well, Indeed, tnay Mr. Owen Jones direct us, as he has 
 done in his admirable letter in the Times of April 19 last, 
 to the fountains of inspiration of which he has himself drunk 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt on 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 III. —Prom 
 pictures 
 affording: 
 awkward 
 treading. 
 
 IV. —Prom 
 fear of soil¬ 
 ing and 
 spoiling. 
 
 V.—Prom 
 constant 
 change of 
 observers’ 
 point of 
 view. 
 
 VI.—Prom 
 inability of 
 observers to 
 duly recede 
 and ap¬ 
 proach. 
 
 These dan¬ 
 gers little 
 heeded, and 
 consequent 
 frequent 
 failure in 
 ambitious 
 carpet de¬ 
 sign. 
 
 Good prin¬ 
 ciples always 
 maintained 
 in the East. 
 
 As testified 
 by Mr. Owen 
 J ones. 
 
14 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt on 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 
 &c. 
 
 as a writer. 
 
 and as a 
 successful 
 designer. 
 Carpets 
 as back¬ 
 grounds. 
 
 SO deeply. Well may he point out to us that, while in the 
 practice of the West there are danger and confusion, in the 
 traditions of the East lie safety and simplicity. 
 
 In speaking of the Orientals, Mr. Jones says:—By an 
 unerring instinct and tradition they are able to apply orna¬ 
 ment to the surfaces of objects they desire to decorate in 
 the exact proportion and scale which the general form, 
 material, and destination of such objects require. In the 
 balance of colours, and in the distribution of the lines of 
 the ornament, they arrive at a perfection which it seems 
 beyond the European mind to reach. . . . We would 
 
 venture to recommend the visitor who desires to study this 
 Exhibition with reference to the influence of art on manu¬ 
 factures to commence his studies with the Oriental collections. 
 When thoroughly impressed with the true principles of 
 decoration and ornament which he will find in these works, 
 and carrying these principles in his mind during his visits 
 to the collections of European countries, we feel assured 
 that he will value these latter only so far as they observe the 
 general laws of all art, and which Orientals so instinctively 
 follow—laws which were equally followed in all great periods 
 of art, and which are to be found in all great works of the 
 past. It is the neglect of these unvarying principles which 
 leads so often to ugliness and bad taste in the incessant 
 search of the present time after novelty irrespective of 
 fitness.’" The man of the present time/’ so arraigned at 
 the bar of criticism, naturally rebels, and proclaims his 
 independence of tradition, which he regards but as a thraldom, 
 limiting invention and inducing monotony. On this ground 
 he will find Mr. Owen Jones quite ready to meet him with 
 a vindication of the infinite novelty and invention which 
 may be found in every variety of Oriental fabric. All are 
 subordinated to common principles of structure and to 
 common limits as to the reproduction of natural types, and 
 yet each sample is a fresh and distinct delight. Can the 
 same be said of the corresponding fabrics of the West? 
 
 These, it may be remembered, are not the sentiments of 
 a theorist only, but of one who has shown in this very Exhi¬ 
 bition, and in the class on which I am writing, his power 
 to practice as well as to preach.’" Next in point of excel¬ 
 lence to the carpets of the East, upon which Mr. Owen Jones 
 has founded his style, may, I think, certainly be ranked 
 those exhibited by Messrs. Templeton, and manufactured 
 from Mr. Jones’s design. His arrangements of form and 
 colour for the rugs of Messrs. Willis, of Kjdderminster, are 
 no less happy. Both are unfortunately displayed, the former 
 especially so, since the mass of window immediately over 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Carpets, Tapestry, 
 
 15 
 
 the range of carpets takes almost all the brilliancy out of 
 the livelier colours, and turns the neutrals all but black. 
 These carpets are especially calculated to serve as fonds/" 
 and to bring out to the utmost the characteristics of the 
 mural decorations and sumptuous equipment in furniture, 
 works of art, &c., of the apartments in which they may be 
 laid down. 
 
 Allowance in looking at them, and, indeed, at any other 
 carpets in the Exhibition, must be made for the awkward 
 angle at which the top light strikes the wool, and is hidden, 
 as it were, from the eye of the spectator. As he looks up 
 to a carpet suspended vertically above his head he sees the 
 side of each filament of wool, of which the carpet is composed, 
 in shadow only, the illuminated side of the same filament 
 being visible only to an eye placed above the level of the 
 filament. The consequence is that the whole effect of the 
 carpet is unnaturally darkened, and the luminosity is taken 
 out of its scale of colour. As carpets are illuminated and 
 seen in use the efiect is entirely different. When so 
 tested the light is usually found to fall almost at right 
 angles to the surface of the carpet, and to so illuminate 
 the whole length of its filaments or pile ; while the eye 
 of the spectator, looking down upon the surface of the car¬ 
 pet almost at the same angle, sees the light glancing all 
 along the length of the filament or pile. The consequence 
 is that the lowest toned tints acquire strength and vivacity, 
 and give relief and brilliancy to the lighter and more vivid 
 colours. 
 
 The general use of ornamental flooring in the East, and 
 parquetry on the continent of Europe, tends to the mainte¬ 
 nance of the popularity of rectangular carpets over those 
 manufactured in widths, such as our usual Brussels goods, 
 and adapted for completely covering surfaces of any irregu¬ 
 larity of form. It is, of course, much less difficult to pro¬ 
 duce an agreeable design when that design is bounded by a 
 regular figure than when it is limited to a short repeat,"" 
 running into all the corners and recesses of a room ; and, 
 further, it is much easier to produce an agreeable symme¬ 
 trical design when the whole is contained, as in the case of a 
 rug, within a few square feet than when it is extended to 
 very many, as in the case of a large carpet. The reason of 
 this is, that the eye of the spectator, always remaining at 
 about an equal distance from the surface of the carpet spread 
 upon the floor, embraces at one view easily the whole area 
 of the rug, while of the carpet it with diflSculty takes in 
 without moving any more than a fractional part of the whole 
 design. Hence it is, that generally we are better pleased 
 
 Me. Digby 
 Wyatt on 
 Caepets, 
 Tapestey, 
 &c. 
 
 Impossi¬ 
 bility of 
 properly ex¬ 
 hibiting 
 carpets 
 when sus-"! 
 pended ver¬ 
 tically. 
 
 How and 
 why. 
 
 Carpets of 
 regular fi- 
 ^re easier 
 t^o design 
 than “ all 
 over ” pat 
 terns. 
 
Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt on 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 How and 
 why. 
 
 Vigour of 
 colour es¬ 
 sential. 
 
 IG Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 with the patterns of rugs than of carpets, although an equal 
 amount of clever design may have been applied to each. It 
 is with a view to evade the difficulty of embracing the whole 
 of a large design at one view that the Orientals with such 
 excellent tact subdue by equal balancing and minute sub¬ 
 division the component parts of all their large designs ; thus 
 entertaining the eye with symmetry upon a small scale, and 
 preventing its desire to run out over the extended pattern in 
 search of the completion of the form upon a fraction of which 
 it has first seized. Neglectful of such prudent restraint in 
 large modern carpets, we often find a line or border of white, 
 or of brilliant colour, running over the whole carpet and 
 giving, as it were, the key to its geometrical setting out. 
 The purpose and working of this line are, of course, apparent 
 and rational enough when the whole carpet is seen ; but 
 when the eye is fixed, perhaps, upon not more than one-six¬ 
 teenth of the whole, the purpose of the line is not revealed, 
 and all the filling in, which is grouped about this line, 
 appears to be equally purposeless. The true principle is 
 that rather of subdividing the whole area of the carpet into 
 symmetrical forms, as in an ordinary mosaic pavement, and 
 then of so grouping those symmetrical forms, each complete 
 in itself, as to make them work together to the composition 
 of some general effect, bounded and kept together by a strong 
 border. When this principle is followed the eye is satisfied 
 if it takes in only one-sixteenth, say, of the whole ; it is 
 again satisfied if it takes in a quarter of the whole, when it 
 becomes sensible of a new basis of composition ; and it is 
 ultimately gratified v/ith an aspect of fresh completeness 
 when it embraces the whole area of the carpet. When it is 
 neglected, unless the whole of the carpet, or at any rate more 
 than half, can be seen at a glance, the pattern seems purpose¬ 
 less ; and, from aiming at expressing too much design, the 
 artist conveys to the spectator’s eye the impression of his 
 having given little or none. It is better even that his com¬ 
 plete carpet should be monotonous than that its subdivisions 
 should be unsymmetrical. 
 
 It is the very strength of illumination to which carpets are 
 generally exposed, and the proximity of their surface to the 
 eye, which demand and enforce soli(iity and sobriety of tone. 
 Weak tints v»dll never answer ; the designer must work 
 rapidly, with a full brush, a strong will, no vacillation, and a 
 rich palette, and with the full assurance that none of his 
 work can ever escape attention. All will be well and clearly 
 seen, and a uniform strength and manliness of tone must 
 therefore be sustained over the whole. Depth of tone should 
 be obtained by the agglomeration of vigorous colours in 
 
Mr, Digby Wyatt on Carpets, Tapestry, &c. 
 
 17 
 
 small compartments, and by the avoidance of strong contrasts 
 in immediate proximity, either of light and dark, or of com¬ 
 plementary colours ; and not by lowering tones, as by the 
 general addition of black. In fact, to borrow the painter’s 
 phraseology, power and depth should be got by first- 
 painting and not by glazing-down.” Great richness is 
 frequently obtained in the finest Persian carpets by subtle 
 differences in the most highly illuminated tints, as by working 
 with alternate crimson and scarlet reds, instead of with one 
 monotonous red between the two, as we often do, or by 
 using, say, a turquoise and an ultra-marine blue together, 
 or by relieving a lemon ” against a cadmium ” yellow. 
 Transparent half tints of great power are obtained by admix¬ 
 tures, as by spotting a black ground with orange to produce 
 a luminous effect of brown instead of using a solid untrans¬ 
 parent brown ; or by spotting a black ground with blue and 
 yellow to obtain a vivid olive, instead of using a solid olive, 
 which in the mass would only look dead and heavy. Such 
 fabrics are full of subtle contrivances which seem to spring 
 into being spontaneously under the hand of the true artist. 
 The painted picture-books of the Japanese are singularly rich 
 in these subtleties. 
 
 In assessing progress generally there are two tests which 
 should be applied—viz., endeavours to ascertain the relative 
 abundance of the very good and the relative scarcity of the 
 very bad. Applying these tests to assess the amount of 
 progress made in the carpet trade since 1851, the first, the 
 abundance of the very good, is slightly in favour of 1867. 
 In point of excellence of manufacture this is scarcely so 
 conspicuous, as in point of propriety of design. India 
 and Turkey are, as usual, unimpeachable. France in all 
 its productions of Oriental styles is very good ; and in 
 England most of the carpets of Templeton, Jackson and 
 Graham, Brinton, Southwell, Boyle and Smith, and Lap- 
 worth are better than the best of the goods manufactured by 
 English carpet manufacturers in 1851 (if we except, perhaps, 
 one carpet designed by Pugin), or even in 1855 or 1862. 
 The rugs of Willis, of Kidderminster, constitute a notable 
 advance ; and so, in a particular direction, do the goods 
 exhibited by Messrs. Jones and Willis and others in the 
 Architectural Court. 
 
 In Belgium, Russia, and Holland the advance is not 
 marked ; but in Austria, through the powerful house of 
 Haas and Sons, a great deal has been achieved. 
 
 When we apply the second test, that of the relative 
 scarcity of the very bad, we shall find a still more notable 
 advance. If some extraordinary picture carpets, such as 
 20406.-23. B 
 
 Me. Digby 
 Wyatt ok 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 How to be 
 obtained. 
 
 Tests of 
 progress 
 applied to 
 India, Tur¬ 
 key, France, 
 England, 
 Belgium, 
 Russia, Hol¬ 
 land, Aus¬ 
 tria, in the 
 shape of 
 predomi¬ 
 nance of the 
 really good. 
 
 The same 
 ill the 
 shape of 
 “ relative 
 scarcity ” of 
 the very bad. 
 
Mr. Dkîby 
 
 Wyatt on 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 English 
 progress in 
 design 
 mainly due 
 to A. W. 
 Pugin and 
 Owen Jones. 
 
 Creed of the 
 
 last-named 
 
 artist. 
 
 18 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 that of the portrait of the Emperor, of the twelve apostles, 
 of the meeting of the Emperor and the Queen of England, 
 and one or two more of a similar kind, but less outrageous, 
 are excepted, and the eyes are shut to a few monster roses 
 and too fervid rugs (the latter especially abounding in 
 France), there remains nothing to equal the turbulent 
 allegory and landscape of 1851, and in a minor degree of the 
 succeeding exhibitions. This change for the better is due 
 in a great measure to the just theories enunciated by men 
 like Owen Jones and Welby Pugin, whose honest perseve¬ 
 rance and enthusiasm have gone far to strengthen the true- 
 sighted, to determine the wavering in taste, and to convert 
 many a previously hardened sinner in the w'ays of false 
 principles and faulty practice of this branch of industrial art 
 to juster and more reasonable paths. Pugin^s views are set 
 forth sufficiently distinctly in his True Principles and 
 Apology,” but those of Owen Jones (having been, for the 
 most part, orally enunciated) are not as well known to the 
 literary world as they should be. I may therefore with 
 advantage quote from his privately-printed lectures On the 
 True and the False in the Decorative Arts” the following 
 articles of his creed as touching the chief products included 
 in Class 18 of the Exhibition of 1867. 
 
 Carpets,” says Mr. Jones, should be darker in tone 
 and more broken in hue than any portion of a room, both 
 because they present the largest mass of colour, and because 
 they serve as a background to the furniture placed upon 
 them. 
 
 As a general rule lighter carpets may be used in rooms 
 thinly furnished than the contrary, as we should otherwise 
 have too overpowering a mass of shade. Turkey carpets are 
 by universal consent adopted for dining-rooms, but not all 
 Turkey carpets (and, indeed, very few) are fitted for such a 
 purpose. The generality of Turkey carpets consist of a 
 border, with the whole middle of the carpet forming one 
 large pattern converging to the centre. All-over patterns 
 are much more rare. In the East Turkey carpets are placed 
 on a raised platform or dais at one end of a saloon, and all 
 round the edge of it are cushions, on which the Easterns 
 recline, so that the whole middle of the carpet is perfectly 
 free, and the complete pattern is seen at a glance. This is 
 not the case when they are transferred to our dining-rooms, 
 where the dining-table alone cuts off the best half of it. So 
 you see even the favourite Turkey carpet must go with the 
 Cashmere shawls, and is another instance of our adopting an 
 article from a foreign country and applying to a purpose for 
 which it was not intended. 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Carpets^ Tapestry, &c. 
 
 19 
 
 The principle of design in a Turkey carpet is perfect, 
 and our manufacturers would do well, instead of copying 
 them in Axminster, as is their wont, to apply the principles 
 to be learnt from them in producing carpets more in harmony 
 with their requirements. 
 
 I will say no more on the floral style but to express a 
 regret that the more perfect the manufacturing process in 
 carpets becomes, the more do they (the carpets) appear to 
 lend themselves to evil. The modest Kidderminster carpet 
 rarely goes wrong, because it cannot ; it has to deal with but 
 two colours, and consequently much mischief is beyond its 
 reach. The Brussels carpet, which deals with five colours, 
 is more mischievous. The tapestry carpets, where the 
 colours are still more numerous, are vicious in the extreme, 
 whilst the recent invention of printed carpets, with no 
 bounds to its ambition, has become positively criminal.” 
 
 The only objections I have ever heard raised to these and 
 similar dogmas of Mr. Owen Jones are that they are so 
 precise and logical as to leave little scope for the change and 
 novelty of style constantly demanded—insufficient latitude 
 for fancy—and that they serve, therefore, as fetters, instead 
 of crutches, to the weak. To this I have heard it replied that 
 for art or art-industry to flourish strenuously in any country, 
 fetters are necessary for the weak. Those who are strong 
 enough may burst away from them if they see fit. 
 
 It would have been impossible for Mr. Jones to have 
 selected better illustrations of the successful working of his 
 principles than are to be met with in the Indian and Persian 
 departments of the present Exhibition. 
 
 In the former are to be found, under Dr. Forbes Watson’s 
 judicious arrangement, good samples of five leading varieties 
 manufactured on the continent of India, viz. :— 
 
 1. The suttringees, or common cotton rugs and small 
 carpets, generally in stripes or chessboard patterns, blue and 
 white, manufactured on Kidderminster principles, and used 
 all over India. 
 
 2. A carpet made like Turkey carpeting, but with cotton 
 instead of woollen tufting. These two are common in India, 
 and largely manufactured at Hyderabad, Mysore, Tanjore, 
 Sasseram, Jubbulpore, &c. 
 
 3. Woollen tufted carpets, corresponding with the Turkey 
 carpet of European commerce in material as well as in make. 
 These are largely made now in Northern and Central India 
 and at many Government gaols. Large numbers of convicts 
 are actively employed in this class of production. Several 
 samples of their skill are shown from Jubbulpore Bangalore, 
 Patna, &c. Such carpets, made at Mirzapore, Gorruckpore, 
 
 B 2 
 
 Me. Digbt 
 Wyatt oi^ 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 Its use and 
 its abuse. 
 
 Indian 
 carpets-» 
 five varie¬ 
 ties; 
 
 I.—Common 
 cotton. 
 
 II.—Woven 
 
 cotton 
 
 tufted. 
 
 III.-Wool- 
 len tufted. 
 
20 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mb. Digby 
 
 Wyatt ots: 
 Cabpets, 
 Tapestet, 
 &c. 
 
 TV.—Cash¬ 
 mere wool¬ 
 len tufted. 
 
 V.-Silken 
 
 carpets. 
 
 Superb spe¬ 
 cimen of 
 best sorts 
 from India 
 and Persia. 
 
 Turkish and 
 
 Tunisian 
 
 carpets. 
 
 &c., and others of finer quality, are imported into England 
 by well-known dealers, such as Messrs. Watson, Bontor, and 
 Co., Messrs. Robinson, Vincent, and Co., and Messrs. Brin- 
 ton and Lewis, by the latter especially, as models for their 
 own guidance in manufacture. 
 
 4. Carpets made of Cashmere wool, and of the utmost 
 delicacy both of design and fabrication. The most perfect 
 carpet in any department of the whole Exhibition, taking 
 design and manufacture together, is of this class, and has 
 been sent to Europe as a choice specimen of native produce 
 by his Highness De wan Singh, Chief Minister of Cashmere. 
 
 I am glad to know that it has been purchased, at the 
 price of several hundred pounds, for reproduction, if possible, 
 in this country, by Mr. Brinton, with whom, and with Dr. 
 Watson and Mr. Peter Graham, I examined it closely. 
 
 The fifth, and most costly of all Indian carpets, is the 
 variety made partially or entirely of silk. The most beau¬ 
 tiful carpets of the kind I have ever seen have been old 
 Persian and North Indian. Exquisite examples are now 
 forwarded from Tanjore in Madras and from Central Asia, 
 where at Khutan, in Beloochistan, &c. a most interesting and 
 almost Greek type of design is preserved, differing essentially 
 from either ordinary Hindoo or Mohammedan. 
 
 Of such silken carpets the Persian department of the 
 Exhibition failed to furnish us with any examples, so far as 
 my observation extended, but by way of consolation for their 
 absence provided, in a series of woollen rugs and divan 
 coverings, an extraordinarily beautiful set of models of 
 what perfect carpets should be. In them the conventional 
 Flora of the carpet designer seemed to bloom into enduring 
 freshness, and unobtrusive liveliness pervaded every speci¬ 
 men. They seemed to have but one fault, viz., high price ; 
 not that they appear dear when the infinite amount of hand¬ 
 work involved in their production is taken into account, but 
 that they were costly as compared with European goods. 
 
 In all these carpets the design is unexceptionable; and 
 although there is, as it were, a family strain ” I’unning 
 through the whole, the actual variety of detail seems endless, 
 both in form and colour. 
 
 The carpets in the Exhibition which manifest the closest 
 kindred to the Indian and Persian are the Turkish and 
 Tunisian. Of the former of these there are no less than some 
 250 exhibitors, the majority of whom stand upon about an 
 equal footing of excellence. To individualise the wife of 
 Ibrahim,” the wife of Mustapha,” and the inhabitants of 
 this or that village, would be waste of time, except for the 
 Smyrniote agents, who buy up the carpets from the makers 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Carpets, Tapestry, &c. 21 
 
 for shipping. We shall rather pursue the subject by Mr. Digbt 
 noticing the produce of factories in which efforts are made cIrpetT 
 to execute carpets by means of analogous processes, beginning 
 with Holland, and then taking up Russia, Greece, Spain, — 
 Austria, Algiers, and Tunis. After a few passing words on 
 Prussia and Belgium, I shall conclude this branch of my 
 subject by noticing the products of Prance and England in 
 somewhat more detail. 
 
 It is strange that, expressly founded to reproduce such Dutch car- 
 excellent models as are furnished by tlte majority of the 
 Turkish and Smyrna goods, the Royal Manufactory of 
 Holland, at Deventer, when attempting something ex¬ 
 ceptional, should fall into a strange error of imitating a 
 third-rate French style. The large carpet with a marone ” 
 ground, and a miserable bunch of roses, or rather red 
 cabbages, on a panel in the middle, sets forth in a very staring 
 shape the prominent defects most usually to be met with in 
 such French carpets as were generally manufactured for 
 exportation to America and elsewhere some twenty years 
 ago, and are still exceptionally produced. 
 
 In no part of the Exposition is the relative superiority of 
 barbaric over common civilized art, in the arrangement of c^casian 
 patterns for carpet fabrics, better or more distinctly shown 
 than in the Russian department. When one turns from the 
 admirable rugs and hangings of the frosty Caucasus ” to 
 the wretched, tufted carpet of Engalytscheff, of Bedischov, 
 rampant with flowers about ten times their real size, and of 
 the crudest possible colouring, it is impossible not to recognize 
 that one is as truly right in principle as the other is truly 
 wrong. The main feature of the wrong in the one case, and 
 the right in the other, consists in the error of the application 
 of imitative art to a fabric, to a use, on a scale, and in a 
 position for which it is totally unfitted, and in the converse. 
 
 The moment one is impressed with the idea of walking or 
 sitting upon Avhat no person in his senses would think of 
 walking or sitting upon, as I have before said, a painful 
 sense of impropriety is experienced, proportioned in intensity 
 to the vivacity with which this misapprehension of judicious 
 design is expressed in the fabric. 
 
 The Greek mats and carpets are of Kidderminster make, Greek car- 
 in brilliant and often agreeable colours ; very rough and 
 effective, with bold stripes and mosaic patterns. 
 
 There are scarcely any things worse in their way in the Spanish 
 Exhibition than the great Spanish carpets, coarsely imitating 
 bad French designs. 
 
 The Austrian carpets by Haas and Sons are, for the most Austrian 
 part, excellent both in design and execution. The chief (Sbiy by 
 
22 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhihition. 
 
 Mh. Digbt 
 Wyatt on 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 Haas und 
 Bohne). 
 
 Algerian 
 
 carpets. 
 
 Beautiful 
 
 Cashmerian 
 
 carpets. 
 
 Prussian 
 
 carpets. 
 
 specimen of these manufacturers^ the reproduction of an 
 ancient Persian carpet which belonged to Peter the Great, 
 and intended for the Imperial saloon of the new opera at 
 Vienna, is a perfect tour de force for closeness of texture 
 and minute rendering of complicated form. Being specially 
 adapted for candlelight effect, it shows to great disadvantage 
 by day ; but I can readily believe that, seen by the light for 
 which it was intended, its effect would be admirable. Indeed, 
 it presents a very valuable lesson to the student in this 
 particular, as it will be at once recognized that the addition 
 of the yellow artificial light will darken the greens of the 
 carpet by bringing out the complementary blue, and lighten 
 the red so as to bring it to a just balance with the green ; it 
 will also, of course, take the predominating yellow tint of 
 the carpet by daylight out of the whole by intensifying, by 
 
 simultaneous contrast,’’ the complementary blues and 
 purples. 
 
 Nothing in the Exhibition, after India and Persia, is 
 better than are the Algerian small carpets and rugs. The 
 colouring is most agreeable, and the make of the carpet, with 
 its long and well tied-in tufts of wool, is calculated to ensure 
 extraordinary durability in wear. This excellence in long- 
 tufted carpeting, rugs, divan coverings, &c. is admirably 
 maintained by the class of carpets shown in the Tunisian 
 department, and made of the long wool of Deridi.” Of the 
 still finer wool of Cashmere there is a tapis de luxe,” 
 lined and fringed with silk, worthy of the most luxurious 
 harem, exhibited by the Prince Mahommed, son of his 
 Excellency Mustapha Khaznadar. I have been informed 
 by one who has long resided in the East that excellent 
 models of Persian and Indian design as applied to carpetings 
 are constantly circulating throughout the southern and 
 western Mohammedan countries, through the sales of their 
 fine praying carpets ” by pilgrims from the far East, whose 
 means becoming exhausted at Mecca, are obliged to part 
 with all their personalities ” in order to find the means 
 requisite to take them home again. 
 
 Amongst the carpets of other materials than wool and 
 cotton the most curious of all are two, made of various 
 skins and furs, shown by Greeve and Son, of Amsterdam. 
 The design of one of these is reaUy clever in its way. 
 
 The Prussian carpets are unimportant, although one 
 exhibitor (Schœller et Fils, of Diiren,) shows a readiness to 
 adopt some of the mechanical processes lately perfected in 
 England. The remainder of what is exhibited is principally 
 rather hard and dry imitation of Turkish work, the best 
 being by Gevers and Schmidt, of Schmiedeberg. 
 
Mr, Dighy Wyatt on Carpets, Tapestry, <kc. 28 
 
 From Belgium much better things might have been 
 expected than have been sent. The Royal Manufactory at 
 Brussels of the carpets of Tournay scarcely maintains its 
 old reputation. Considering that Tournay is essentially the 
 father of Kidderminster (the Brussels carpet trade having 
 been introduced into the latter place from the former only 
 about the middle of the last century), one is forced to 
 recognize that the child has wonderfully outgrown the 
 parent. I would, however, except the productions of 
 Braquinié, of Inglemunster. 
 
 We now come to the two countries in which the keenest 
 competition for ascendancy in the general carpet trade is 
 carried on—France and England—and on the relative 
 artistic position of which I have already made some remarks. 
 
 In France, the Imperial products of the Savonnerie,*' an 
 establishment incorporated with that of the Gobelins for 
 tapestry, naturally holds the first place. The Savonnerie and 
 the finest of the Aubusson carpets are hand-worked, exactly 
 on the same principle as our old Axminster carpets, but with 
 certain innovations borrowed from the Gobelins practice. 
 The leading specimen of the manufacture is a largish carpet 
 hanging in the middle of one end of the Sevres and Gobelins 
 court. The design, which is of a singularly harmonious 
 colouring, is founded on old French models, wrought out 
 with the greatest taste by M. Dieterle, perhaps the most 
 distinguished living ornamentist in France. In execution 
 there is nothing else to compare with it; but its very 
 excellence is its greatest drawback. It is too fine a picture 
 to tread on. Interlacing hoops and flowers, and arrows and 
 ribbons (if my memory serves me) are figured in lineal, and 
 coloured in aerial, perspective with perfect verisimilitude 
 Every curve is struck with the greatest accuracy, the 
 gradation of tone is almost imperceptible, and yet the result 
 is neither good picture, good carpet, nor good ornament. In 
 fact, it can scarcely, I think, be looked upon as other than a 
 costly mistake. I have been, perhaps, especially hard upon 
 this product, but it is only because it is so alluring in its 
 elegance and harmony of tone, as it hangs in a place of 
 honour, that it becomes a special snare to the unwary. 
 Carpets are also occasionally made at the Imperial establish¬ 
 ment at Beauvais, although the bulk of what is produced at 
 that celebrated establishment more nearly resembles Gobelins 
 tapestry, and is almost exclusively used for furniture covering. 
 In the matter of designs for carpets, M. Clerget, an orientalist, 
 à la mode de Paris, exercised some twenty years ago a 
 salutary influence. This, however, seems to have died out, 
 although he is, I believe, still living, and a wilful sort of 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt ob 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 Belgian 
 
 carpets. 
 
 French 
 carpets. 
 Those of the 
 Imperial 
 Manufactory 
 of the Savon¬ 
 nerie, 
 
 and of Beau¬ 
 vais. 
 
24 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mr.Digby 
 Wyatt on 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 Those of 
 Sallandrouze 
 (père et fils) . 
 
 Laurent. 
 
 Deletoile. 
 
 Foye De- 
 renne. 
 
 Rozé Abra¬ 
 ham. 
 
 confusion has established itself between designs fitted for 
 tapestries and those suited for carpets ; in other words, 
 between designs suitable for vertical and those fitting for 
 horizontal surfaces. 
 
 The well-known house of Sallandrouze (père et fils) fairly 
 sustains its well earned position at the head of the French 
 carpet manufacture as far as dexterity is concerned, although 
 discretion may not be regarded as its leading characteristic. 
 It seems, indeed, hardly possible to imagine that the same 
 firm can produce goods varying so absolutely in principle as 
 do the bulk of what it exhibits in the florid old, and still more 
 florid modern, French style, and the specially quiet and 
 agreeable Persian-patterned carpet which is in the centre of 
 the side of the Limoges china court. One of their large 
 carpets, although a little vulgar, narrowly escapes being 
 successful. It is entirely spoilt by an uncomfortable damped 
 blotting-paper coloured centre panel, with some doves and a 
 vase relieved upon it. Upon the whole, one feels most 
 anxious to see this respectable old house, which has worthily 
 sustained the reputation of Aubusson since its factories 
 passed from E-oyal direction into good commercial and self- 
 supporting hands, take a more independent line, so far as its 
 carpets are concerned. It has too long only done well what 
 it has been accustomed to do well, witliout marching with or 
 leading a return to more wholesome principles of design for 
 carpets. 
 
 In point of quiet good taste, the best goods in the French 
 portion of the Exhibition are those, for the most part in 
 imitation of oriental fabrics, by the house of Bernard 
 Laurent, of Amiens. These are jacquard woven pile carpets 
 of the most vivid and yet very fairly harmonised colouring. 
 In one small and beautiful rug a very happy effect is produced 
 by throwing in a few compartments in silk. The Amiens 
 carpets of the house of Dele toile are also, with certain 
 exceptions, highly commendable. Some of the large carpets, 
 in imitation of Turkish, of the house of Foye Devenue, are 
 excellent ; but two of their specimens, one with very large 
 circles and octagons, and the other with very raw-looking 
 flowers, exhibit misapplication of considerable manufacturing 
 skill. If, as is no doubt the case, flowers cannot be executed 
 in any ordinary qualities of carpeting except upon a ridi¬ 
 culously magnified scale, they ought not to be attempted. 
 It is, indeed, somewhat difficult to say when or how they 
 should be. 
 
 The large house of Rozë Abraham, of Tours, exhibits 
 very good quiet Persian patterns; and yet, as if to show 
 how hard it is to abandon bad ways and traditions, adds to 
 
Mr, Digby Wyatt on Carpets, Tapestry, &c. 
 
 25 
 
 them three rugs which, for ^Moud ” pattern and colour, are ms.digbt 
 amongst the worst things of the sort in the Exhibition. ^CAEST^f 
 
 Amongst the private manufacturers of Aubusson who Tapestry, 
 rival MM. Sallandrouze, MM. Eroc (père et fils), who spin — 
 their own yarn, exhibit both moquette carpets and plain 
 woven ones in which Persian and the Gobelins traditions 
 fight for predominance over the fortunes of the house. The 
 latter appear to have the best of it ; for the place or honour 
 in the Faïence court is given to a sickly but ambitious 
 specimen of the old French style, while many exceedingly 
 harmonious carpets of Persian style hold inferior places on 
 each side of it. They, too, have some fiercely bad rugs. 
 
 Masure and Lourthiois, of Tourcoing (Nord), have exe- Masure and 
 cuted some fairly good patterns, rich and quiet, for the well- 
 known Parisian agency house of Sallandrouze. 
 
 There is a clever kaleidoscopic pattern on a blue ground, Daumezou. 
 by Daumezou, of Nismes ; but the rest of the exhibitors in 
 the ‘^Maroquinerie'" court show nothing in any way re¬ 
 markable. 
 
 For a' display of many of the worst famlts of design, as Clement 
 applied to carpets, the visitor may be referred to the great ' 
 gridiron upon a crimson ground manufactured by Clement 
 Gravier, of Nismes. J. Vayson, of Abbeville, carries the Vayson. 
 mistaken application of pictorial art to the carpet trade to 
 nearly its acme in his portrait of the Emperor in monochrome. 
 
 It is not to be denied that in this work very good manufac¬ 
 turing dexterity has been displayed ; but what is still want¬ 
 ing, after all, serves only to demonstrate the inexpediency of 
 attempting such tours de force. The insufficiency of the 
 pictorial rendering of the subject is naturally heightened into 
 the region of the absurd by the reflection that it would be 
 impossible to use this production as a carpet without literally 
 
 trampling under foot what the present regime, at least, 
 of Frenchmen are “bound to obey and serve” in the highest 
 degree. The large carpet of this manufacturer is one of the 
 most ponderous and remarkable specimens of Jacquard 
 weaving in the building. The mounting of the loom for 
 this must have been most tedious and costly, and it is only to be 
 regretted that so much trouble should have been wasted 
 upon so unsatisfactory a pattern. I have dwelt longer upon 
 the productions of this firm than I might have done if it had 
 held a lower rank in French industry ; but when such pro¬ 
 ductions are contributed by a house displaying with its pro¬ 
 ducts no less than 18 gold and 12 silver medals, gained in 
 various industrial contests, it indicates an exceptionally low 
 standard of popular taste for a country so far advanced in 
 civilization as France. 
 
26 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Me.Digby 
 
 Wyatt ok 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 Requillart, 
 Soussel, aüd 
 others. 
 
 The English 
 carpets hy 
 Taplin, 
 Beall, and 
 Co. 
 
 Templeton. 
 
 Upon the whole, in this class the manufacturers of Aubusson 
 make a rare display, in which what to eat, drink, and avoid,” 
 in point of industrial art, is pretty equally balanced; but, 
 while we criticise, it is impossible to help admiring the produc¬ 
 tions of houses such as those of Duplan and Oo., Requillart, 
 Eoussel, and Chocquel, Braquienie, and, last, not least, 
 Sallandrouze. Everyone must feel that, with all its faults, it 
 is a great industry, worthily represented. 
 
 The English exhibitors suffer much more than the French 
 from their floor-coverings being hung as wall-coverings, since 
 the former wisely do not emulate the pictorial example 
 generally set' them by the latter. There is, however, one 
 notable exception ; and, as that constitutes the only serious 
 example of heterodoxy left amongst the British, it may be 
 well to dispose of it at once. 
 
 Messrs. Taplin, Beall, and Co. have employed, no doubt, an 
 able artist to design for them some very ambitious pictures in¬ 
 tended to rival Gobelins tapestries at cheap rates. These 
 pictures have been executed with extraordinary skill by 
 Messrs. Templeton, and they are, to all intents and purposes, 
 carpets. Whether they are intended for covering walls or 
 floors, they are alike open to the very grave objection that 
 the process of chenille weaving is inapplicable to the repro¬ 
 duction of high art. The very basis of the system (which 
 involves, 1st, the reduction of all designs to a system of 
 squaring ; 2nd, a translation from that squaring into tlie 
 gauze woven striped cloth, which when cut up forms the 
 pile weft ; and, 3rd, the use of that pile weft with such 
 perfectly even tension as to make each colour find its place 
 exactly with reference to the warp-strings of the fabric) is 
 adverse to the chances of a true rendering of subtle expression 
 or the preservation of dignity. To have attempted to depict 
 the 12 apostles, the Queen, and the Emperor of the French, 
 &c., by such a process, on a grand colossal scale, is a climax 
 of audacity which it would have been better never to have 
 aimed at ; such ambitious failures serve only to justify the 
 shrugs which they receive from all who know how such 
 subjects ought to be depicted. If unsatisfactory as hang¬ 
 ings, of course such products would be ten times worse as 
 carpets. 
 
 When we turn from Mr. Templeton on somebody else's 
 platform to Mr. Templeton on his own, the aspect of matters 
 is, happily, entirely changed. I have already and fully 
 spoken of his merits as an inventor, and of his indomitable 
 energy and perseverance, and have only now to record my 
 satisfaction, as an artist, with all of his products manufac¬ 
 tured from Mr. Owen Jones^s design. They are in every way 
 
Mr. Digby Wyatt on Carpets^ Tapestry, 
 
 27 
 
 creditable to British industry, and thoroughly justify the 
 gold medal awarded to Mr. Templeton. They are possibly 
 cast in a too uniformly low tone, but it is far better that they 
 should err slightly on this side than upon the other. One of 
 them, with a deep blue ground, is especially admirable. Of 
 this old style—z.e., a free rendering of French designs— 
 Mr. Templeton exhibits one good specimen, manufactured, 
 no doubt, at great cost, and involving much labour and 
 ingenuity to produce, but not altogether to my taste. Such 
 carpets, however, still find a very large sale, and I am told 
 that for export it is of no use manufacturing anything more 
 quiet. For the American market, the manufacturers de¬ 
 clare that the more glaring their carpets are the better they 
 are liked. 
 
 Next to Mr. Templeton in order of merit I should 
 certainly place Messrs. Brinton and Lewis, of Kidderminster, 
 also gold medallists, who contribute admirable specimens 
 of a kind of carpet of the chenille genus, but said to be 
 woven with certain novel appliances of which they are com¬ 
 mencing the current manufacture at Kidderminster. The 
 texture of these carpets is of the description called patent 
 Axminster, and they certainly exhibit a quality and close¬ 
 ness of substance hitherto not attained, I believe, in any 
 other fabric. 
 
 The great advantages these goods are alleged to possess 
 are :—Delicacy and perfection of pattern, with clearness 
 and softness of detail ; solidity in the pile and luxuriousness 
 of tread as a floor-covering ; great substance and durability 
 in the wear ; the introduction of unlimited colour, affording 
 extensive combination of effect ; and, lastly, what is of the 
 highest importance in the demand for first-class fabrics, the 
 capability of being made in the entire piece, without seam, 
 for saloons of any dimension and shape.'" 
 
 The name Indian Axminster has been selected for 
 these goods, as the fabric represents the texture and effect 
 of East Indian carpets, with a complete accuracy of detail 
 seldom found in those goods, combined with the luxurious 
 perfection of the Axminster fabric. Messrs. Brinton and 
 Lewis have been greatly assisted in their preparation for the 
 introduction of this valuable class of carpet, the pile of which 
 is at least three quarters of an inch in length, by the judicious 
 advice of Dr. Forbes Watson and Dr. Dresser. 
 
 The artistic impulse especially given by the latter will 
 no doubt retain the ‘‘bloom” and beauty of the patterns 
 in which the Indian Axminsters will be chiefly manufac¬ 
 tured. 
 
 Me. Digby 
 Wyatt on 
 Caepets, 
 Tapestet, 
 Ac. 
 
 Brinton and 
 Lewis. 
 
 How aided 
 by Drs. Wat¬ 
 son and 
 Dresser. 
 
28 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt on 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 Watson and 
 
 Bonior. 
 
 Lapworth. 
 
 The bulk of Messrs. Brinton and Lewis’s other exhibited 
 goods consist of various carpets of Wilton make/’ woven in 
 widths by patent power-loom^ and so sewn up, with borders, 
 &c., as to give all the effect of a carpet specially designed for 
 any apartment. 
 
 Dr. Dresser has been good enough to inform me that, out 
 of Messrs. Brinton and Lewis’s collection, the white-ground 
 carpet vdth drab shadow and crimson arabesque scroll, is 
 intended for large saloons, where two-breadth designs are 
 usually preferred, as giving the greater scope for the artist’s 
 treatment of a massive subject in relief like this, of flowers 
 and foliage, treated in self colours (^ton sur ton)^ with heavy 
 scrollwork to form the setting or panelwork of the whole. 
 The Persian or Turkey carpet next in order is similarly 
 intended for large compartments, but is composed on the 
 principle of flat treatment in design and deep rich tone of 
 colour, with combinations of blue, green, and scarlet, giving 
 different effects in the various figures on the red ground. 
 The medallion centre of this carpet is to occupy the middle 
 of a room, with the other figures grouped around it, the 
 border outside being used to complete the whole, and pro¬ 
 ducing the effect of a carpet in one piece. The crimson 
 Italian scroll carpet is designed for smaller rooms where dark 
 and moderate-sized figures are preferred. The introduction 
 of white ground into the border of this carpet is with the 
 special intention of giving relieving effect to the pervading 
 weight of crimson shades. The browns are to contrast with 
 the deeper tints of crimson used. 
 
 The fourth and last made-up carpet is after the best 
 examples of flat treatment applied to the forms of 19th 
 century decorative art. The colours are worked on the 
 principle of illumination to the neutral ground shade, and 
 the conventional forms and the colours used therewith allow 
 of this carpet being equally before the eye from whatever 
 point it is surveyed. The entire effect is bright, and yet the 
 livelier colours are kept in due subordination to the rest. 
 This carpet is for the moderate-sized rooms and libraries of 
 British and continental houses. Of these the second 
 appeared to me to be the most satisfactory in point of 
 design, although there is somewhat too even a balance in it 
 between the red and the blue. 
 
 Messrs. Watson and Bontor, and Mr. Lapworth, both 
 well known as dealers of great taste and good judgment, 
 exhibit very fine carpets, the former principally of Indian 
 manufacture, and the latter a real Axminster of the best 
 possible quality. I am informed that Mr. Lapworth is now 
 
Mr, Dighy Wyatt on Carpets^ Tapestry, &c. 
 
 29 
 
 the proprietor of the celebrated manufactory at Wilton, 
 which used to be so ably conducted by Mr. Blackmore. 
 Messrs. Henderson, of Durham, show very well with a good 
 rich beaded pattern and quiet diaper and border. Messrs. 
 Jackson and Graham show a noble carpet made for them 
 from a design by Mr. Owen Jones. This is satisfactory in 
 every respect, except that the rectangular framing to some 
 of the panelled forms catches the eye somewhat too readily. 
 Messrs. Woodward, Palmer, and Eudford have made a con¬ 
 siderable effort to obtain characteristic designs, but, whether 
 accident has misapplied the labels or the designer has 
 misapprehended the styles, certain it is that what is con¬ 
 spicuously labelled Pompadour is more like Gothic than 
 anything else, and ‘^Japanese'' is rather Greek. What the 
 Gothic design, French colouring,” may really be meant for 
 I could not make out, as it mainly consisted of a straggling 
 kind of Italian scrollwork on a white ground. It is not that 
 the designs are really bad, but the high-sounding titles are a 
 mistake. 
 
 Amongst other manufacturers who exhibit in admirable 
 form ” may be mentioned Messrs. Morton and Humphries, 
 of Kidderminster ; Boyle and Smith, of London ; and 
 Southwell, of Bridgenorth. 
 
 As the maker of a specialty—Persian and Smyrna rugs— 
 Mr. Willis, of Kidderminster, occupies a most distinguished 
 place, his exhibition showing much enterprise and the best 
 possible taste. Mr. Harvey's designs for Mr. Willis are 
 admirable. 
 
 In generalizing upon the English exhibition, one cannot 
 but be struck by the absence of that class of carpeting in 
 which for merit and extent of manufacture we stand without 
 rivals. I mean the good Brussels carpet of commerce. Our 
 cheap carpets, too, are scarcely at all represented, while in 
 Yorkshire, the north of England generally, and Scotland, we 
 produce enormous quantities of such goods at the lowest 
 price and of the best quality. It is, of course, in the nature 
 of such exhibitions that tours de force should be represented, 
 while current manufactures hide their heads,” but, remem¬ 
 bering this tendency, critics should not hastily infer that the 
 staple manufactures of the country are degenerating because 
 they may not appear in redundancy at the Paris Exposition. 
 
 We now come to the admirable tapestries and other furni¬ 
 ture stuffs, of which the quantity overwhelms as the quality 
 delights us. To begin, of course, with the Imperial esta¬ 
 blishment of the Gobelins, its importance in the history of 
 industrial art demands that a few paragraphs, founded on 
 recent works on the subject, should be dedicated to a brief 
 
 Mn. Di GBT 
 Wyatt ok 
 Caupets, 
 Tapestey", 
 &c. 
 
 Henderson. 
 Jackson and 
 Graham. 
 
 Woodward, 
 Palmer, and 
 Rudford. 
 
 Morton and 
 Humphries. 
 Boyle and 
 Smith, and 
 Southwell. 
 
 Mr. Willis’s 
 
 excellent 
 
 rugs. 
 
 Absence of 
 
 Brussels 
 
 carpeting. 
 
 Tapestries. 
 
 The Gobe¬ 
 lins. 
 
80 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt on 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 Early tape¬ 
 stries in 
 Erance, 
 
 Under 
 Francis I. 
 
 Under 
 Henry IV. 
 
 survey of the history of the manufactory, which is, indeed, 
 little else than an epitome of the whole history of the 
 manufacture. 
 
 Setting aside the archæology of the subject, so far as 
 relates to the Middle Ages, the details of which may be 
 readily found in the pages of Potier, Jubinal, and Viollet 
 Le Duc, we may assume, as a point de depart^ that, until 
 the reign of Francis L, tapestries and carpets were made in 
 France by private enterprise alone. The haute-lissiers^ the 
 Saracens, and the blanket-makers had carried on their 
 manufactures under the shelter of privileges granted them 
 by the king or provosts, but it was the Flemings, by their 
 manufacturing skill, and the Italians, through their greater 
 dexterity as draughtsmen and designers, who mainly brought 
 the art of making tapestries to perfection. 
 
 Francis I. collected the most able weavers he could find, 
 either in France or in Flanders and Italy, the two countries 
 in which this branch of industry had been carried farthest, 
 and established them at Fontainebleau, under the direction 
 of the superintendent of royal buildings, and of Salomon de 
 Herbaines weaver to the king. These artists, for whose use 
 silk, gold, and silver thread were lavishly expended, pro¬ 
 duced splendid hangings from the designs and cartoons of 
 Primaticcio. 
 
 The civil and religious wars of the following reigns were 
 as fatal to royal establishments as to private enterprise, and, 
 amidst the continuous troubles of the league,^^ the succes¬ 
 sors of Henry II. were unable to devote much money to any 
 other purpose than the support of their armies. 
 
 About the year 1600 Henry IV. commenced the re¬ 
 establishment in France of those manufactories for the pro¬ 
 duction of furniture and decorations for the royal palaces 
 which had fallen into decay during the two preceding years, 
 although he encountered in so doing the strenuous opposition 
 of his sagacious minister. Sully, an opposition thoroughly 
 justified by the general exhaustion and poverty of the 
 country. He began by establishing his weavers, Laurent 
 and Dubourg, in a house in the Faubourg St. Antoine, 
 vacated by the expulsion of the Jesuits. On the return of 
 the latter he transferred the students of these master weavers 
 to the galleries of the Louvre, and established there a goodly 
 gathering of masters in art, painters, sculptors, engravers of 
 precious stones, clockmakers, &c. 
 
 The chief haute-lisse weavers remained but a short time as 
 compound householders ” in the Louvre. Two hundred 
 Flemish workmen were collected and put under their 
 direction, and the manufacture, speedily established in the 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Carpets, Tapestry, &c. 
 
 31 
 
 Palais des Tourelles^ was subsequently transferred to an 
 hotel in the Kue des Varennes. Henry IV., to encourage 
 his protégés, gave them extensive privileges, but his prema¬ 
 ture death prevented the full development of his projects. 
 His son, Louis XIII., though the founder of the house of 
 the Savonnerie^ allowed the establishment of his predecessors 
 for tapestry-weaving to fall into decay. The only active 
 steps he took in its favour was continuing to the sons of 
 Mark Comans and Francis Laglanche, master-weavers, the 
 privileges granted to them by Henry IV. 
 
 Some tapestry made during this reign (and no doubt in 
 the manufactory of which I am speaking) representing the 
 miracles of Saints Crispin and Crispinianus, was, apparently, 
 ordered by the guild of shoemakers of Paris for the chapel 
 of their corporation in Notre Dame. The struggling trade 
 made little head in the troublesome times which succeeded 
 the death of Louis XIII., and it is probable that the nominal 
 patronage of an impoverished Court was rather an impedi¬ 
 ment than an aid. The weavers suffered, artists languished, 
 and the long wars of the minority of Louis XIV. nearly 
 ruined them. On his ultimate accession to the throne, 
 between the earnest wishes of the King and the able conduct 
 of Colbert, in a few years all the Koyal manufactories were 
 reinstated, and their prosperity exceeded that of their best 
 days under preceding Sovereigns. 
 
 The great Lebrun, first painter to the King, directed the 
 establishment of the Savonnerie^ at Chaillot, in which Philippe 
 Lourdet had caused children taken from the hospitals to 
 work. Hinart was appointed to take charge of the factory 
 at Beauvais,-where furniture-stuffs and hangings were made. 
 The manufactories of Felletin and Aubusson for carpets, &c., 
 owed to the liberality of the King a painter and a dyer, 
 maintained at his expense. 
 
 The name Gobelins,” as a designation for tapestry of 
 the highest class, is derived from some former dyers of that 
 name, who carried on their business on the edge of the little 
 Hiver Bièvre, at Paris, on the site of the present Imperial 
 establishment, in 1450, or, as some say, not till the reign 
 of Francis I. 
 
 It was not, however, until the seventeenth century that 
 the name of the old dyer, Giles Gobelins, was applied to 
 this tapestry. At this date the family of the Gobelins 
 having retired from business, their house passed into other 
 hands, and was rented by the Brothers Cannaye, who, in 
 addition to dyeing, engaged in the manufacture of tapestry. 
 In all probability Jean Liansen made for them, for the first 
 time, tapestry on the hauteAisse^ or vertical warp. 
 
 Mb. Digbt 
 Wyatt on 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 Under Louis 
 XXII. 
 
 Under Louis 
 XIV. 
 
 Establish¬ 
 ment of 
 the Gobe¬ 
 lins, 
 
32 
 
 Reports on ttie Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mh. DiasY 
 Wyatt ok 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry , 
 &c. 
 
 under Col¬ 
 bert’s pro¬ 
 tection, 
 
 as a Royal 
 manufactory 
 for art 
 industries of 
 all kinds ; 
 
 and under 
 Lebrun’s 
 direction ; 
 
 under 
 
 Milliard’s. 
 
 On the re-establishliient of the Royal châteaux, Colbert 
 conceived the idea of decorating them in a manner worthy 
 of the magnificence of their architecture. Choosing the 
 most talented of every profession and trade^ he united them 
 in one grand establishment, and gave them apprentices and 
 pupils to study under them. 
 
 To extend this establishment he persuaded the King, in 
 1662 or 1663, to purchase a portion of the building originally 
 occupied by the dyers Gobelins. The augmented establish¬ 
 ment was so carried on, from the year 1667, under the style 
 of The Royal Manufactory of Tapestry and Furniture for 
 the Crown/’ — Colbert and the chief painter personally 
 assuming, with the King, its direction. By his edicts 
 published at this time it is evident that it was not simply a 
 factory for tapestry that Louis XIV. created. It was a vast 
 studio in which all that can be comprehended under the 
 term furniture ” was made. Two hundred and fifty master 
 weavers wove rich tapestries for which the King’s chief 
 painter and his pupils had given designs, and for which the 
 able Jacques Kercoven had dyed the wools or the silks. 
 Sculptors in metal and goldsmiths forged and chased bronze 
 into lamps, sconces, brackets, and candelabra in styles suitable 
 to correspond with the Gobelins and Beauvais hangings. 
 Cabinetmakers carved, turned, and gilded wood furniture 
 after the fashion of the Venetian magnificenze ” then so 
 popular. 
 
 Florentines, directed by Ferdinando del Megliorini, 
 collected marbles, agates, lapis-lazuli, &c. for making 
 beautiful mosaics, ornamented with birds, flowers, and fruits, 
 remains of which are still to be met with in the tables in 
 several of the palaces of the time of Louis XIV. Even the 
 very door-locks and window fastenings became chefs-d’œuvres 
 of execution made from the designs of the fertile Lebrun, 
 and, at a later period, of the still more fertile Berain— 
 dessinateur des menus plaisirs du Roi.” The superin¬ 
 tendence of Lebrun, which lasted from 1663 to 1690, was 
 an era of prosperity for the Gobelins. He caused pictures 
 designed by him to be accurately copied in wool, such as 
 The Battles of Alexander,” The History of Louis XIV.,” 
 The Elements,” The Twelve Months of the Year,” The 
 Life of Moses,” &c. The greater number of these subjects 
 were embellished with ornaments in gold thread. Many 
 other works were executed, after designs by Van der Meulen, 
 Joart, Bolo, Baptiste, Auguier, and other contemporary 
 artists. 
 
 In 1690 Lebrun died, and Mignard succeeded him as 
 chief painter to the King and director of the Gobelins. 
 
Mr, Dighy Wyatt on Carpets^ Tapestry y &c. 
 
 33 
 
 The practice of his profession engrossing too much of his 
 time, the King gave him as coadjutors La Chapelle and 
 Bressé, architect and controller of the Royal buildings. 
 
 The first years ef the new administration were fruitful. 
 A school of design was established^ directed by Tuby, 
 Coysevox^ and Sebastian Leclerc, and very important works 
 were commenced ; but the reverses which took place towards 
 the end of his reign compelled Louis XIV. to reserve his 
 money for the defence of his country. When peace was 
 ultimately re-established, the production of the Gobelins 
 became more brisk ; but from this time the Royal Manu¬ 
 factory for Crown Furniture” gradually lost its specially 
 comprehensive character, to become only a manufactory of 
 tapestry and carpets. The painters, sculptors, goldsmiths, 
 and workers in mosaic gradually disappeared ; it was no 
 longer a school of arts and luxurious manufactures, as when 
 under Lebrun. Through the penury of the Treasury, in 
 1694, the prosperity of the manufacture declined, and in the 
 following year a number of workmen and pupils were dis¬ 
 charged. Under the reign of Louis XV. the factories were 
 closed, and the works totally stopped for a time, to be taken 
 up again and cherished at fitful intervals. 
 
 The chief pieces executed at this date, and indeed until 
 the end of the reign of Louis XVI., were The Four Seasons, 
 after Mignard ; the History of Esther, and that of Jason and 
 Medea, after De Troy ; many scenes from the New Testa¬ 
 ment, after Jouvenet; copies of pictures from the Vatican, 
 after Boullouque ; the Twelve Months, after Lucas Van 
 Leyden ; the History of Moses, after Poussin ; a set of 
 curtains in silk, with a gold ground, after Boullouque, 
 Baptiste Monayer, De Fontenay, Audran, and others; eight 
 scenes from the New Testament, after Restout ; the History 
 of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, a set of allegorical pictures 
 for the Chancellor’s residence, after Coypel, Restout, and 
 others; eight Indian subjects, after Desportes and others; 
 the Field Sports of Louis XV., in four pictures, after 
 Oudry ; twenty-one subjects from Don Quixote, by Coypel ; 
 a set of mythological and pastoral subjects, by Boucher; 
 the Siege of Calais and the Taking of Paris, after Bar¬ 
 thélémy; many subjects from the history of Henry IV., 
 after Vincent and Le Barbier; the Continence of Bayard, 
 after Du Rameau ; the Assassination of Admiral Cohgny, 
 after Suvee; the Death of Leonard de Vinci, after Menageot; 
 and the Triumph of Amphitrite, after Faravel. The tapestry 
 of Esther, and that of Jason and Medea, given to the King of 
 England, are said to be still at Windsor Castle. 
 
 20406.—23. c 
 
 Mb. Digby 
 
 Wyatt otx 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 
 & 0 . 
 
 Successes 
 under Louie 
 
 XV. and 
 
 XVI. 
 
34 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Me. Di&by 
 Wyatt on 
 Caepets, 
 Tapestet, 
 &c. 
 
 Improve¬ 
 
 ments. 
 
 But ruin 
 
 under the 
 révolution. 
 
 In 1749 great changes were made in the looms. The 
 cartoons were no longer cut up and placed under the warp 
 but behind the workman^ where they could be clearly seen. 
 The picture was traced on a sheet of tracing-paper, which 
 was fastened by hand in the same way that the design had 
 formerly been fixed. These improvements were introduced 
 by Neilson, one of the ablest heads of departments who 
 has ever laboured in the old factorv on the banks of the 
 Bièvre.” In spite of his improvements, and others devised 
 by the ingenious Vaucanson, the Royal Manufactory suffered 
 about this time greatly from dissensions, which arose between 
 Dudry, the painter, who virtually acted as manager, and 
 other artists, whose works were being reproduced under, as 
 it was alleged, his misdirection. These dissensions were 
 happily put an end to by the appointment of Boucher to 
 fill Oudry’s place, upon the death of the latter, in 1753. 
 
 During this time the department of the Savonnerie, like 
 that of the Gobelins, followed the taste and partook of the 
 style of the period, and the works of Louis XIV. were 
 already greatly modified from their old noble style, when 
 the p^itical struggles of the end of the last century almost 
 threatened the very existence of these beautiful creations. 
 Scarcely had these sad days for art arrived, before hands 
 were laid on the chefs-d’œuvres of the past upon the excuse 
 that they exhibited emblems of the old form of government ; 
 and a jury of artists and other sans culottes was formed 
 consisting of Prudhon, Duneux, Percier, Bitaube, Moette, 
 Legouvé ; Mouvel, the actor ; Vincent, the historical painter ; 
 Belle, director of the Gobelins ; and Duviviere, director of 
 the Savonnerie. 
 
 This jury had the audacity to condemn—for singular 
 reasons, principally political—a long list of works, in the 
 creation of which some of them had aided. As to the 
 Savonnerie, that was still worse ; there they sacrificed all 
 the finest patterns and productions, except two harmless 
 carpets with fiowers. The manufactory which under 
 Louis XIV. numbered 300 workmen and weavers could, 
 in the depth of its tribulation, obtain only 46 signatures to 
 the following sad petition :— 
 
 Citizen Minister.—We venture again to lay our misery 
 before you. The National Treasury does not make the pay¬ 
 ments you have ordered for our benefit. For 125 days of 
 salary due to us we have only received five days. Without 
 clothes, food, or credit it is impossible to live. We are in 
 despair, and we beg you to give us the means of living else¬ 
 where if you cannot support us here."’ 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Carpets, Tapestry, &c. 
 
 35 
 
 Until the reign of Louis XVI. a settled system was 
 followed for executing hangings in sets. Each subject 
 formed a suite of tapestry of different heights and widths 
 adapted to the different rooms which it was intended to 
 decorate in succession. 
 
 For some years of the reign of Louis XVI. tapestry had 
 been made by contract, there being two haute-lisse con¬ 
 tractors and one basse-lisse.” The King paid on delivery 
 for the tapestry ordered ; he lent the factories and looms, 
 and advanced to the contractors the linen web, the wool, 
 and the silk. The revolution of ’89 led to great changes 
 in this manufacture; in 1791 workmen were paid by the 
 year, and in this year also were suppressed the various corps 
 d’états which Colbert had established for the sole manufacture 
 of tapestry. 
 
 In 1792, at the suggestion of the Minister Eoland, the 
 school of design established by Colbert was abolished, and, 
 though the factories were not altogether closed, payments 
 were suspended, as we have seen by the unhappy workmen's 
 petition, during the political agitation which distracted the 
 close of the 18th century. 
 
 This disorganization lasted but a short time, since in the 
 year 1802 the manufacture was re-established, and the 
 school of design reopened. A few of the artists returned, 
 but pupils did not re-enter in numbers until the year 1809. 
 
 In 1805 Napoleon I. made up his mind to revive the 
 manufacture, and to adopt its products as the chief decoration 
 of his palaces. He began with the Gallery of Diana at the 
 Tuilleries, and speedily caused to be set in hand at the 
 establishment some 20 or more large pictures representing 
 the principal historical scenes in which he had played the 
 leading part. A practical school of dyeing was founded ; 
 and chemistry, in the honoured persons of Chaptal and 
 Beathollet, was brought to the assistance of the director of 
 that school, the talented and useful M. Board, a worthy 
 pendant to Brongniart, at the rival Imperial establishment 
 at Sèvres. 
 
 Under the Restoration the Royal manufacture wafe well 
 sustained, and amongst a series more or less specially devoted 
 to the glorification of the house of Bourbon there show out 
 with peculiar lustre the noble reproductions of the Medicis’ 
 Rubens' pictures of the Louvre. Louis Philippe in his turn 
 proved himself a right Royal patron, admirably completing 
 the works commenced by his predecessors ; and up to the 
 present time a steady progress has been maintained in every 
 department, reflecting the greatest credit on M. Chevreuil, 
 the head of the dyeing establishment, and on M. Badin, the 
 
 Mk. DiGBr 
 Wyatt ost 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 Details of 
 establish- 
 mento 
 
 Revival 
 under Na¬ 
 poleon I. 
 
 Under the 
 restoration, 
 
36 
 
 Reporta on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mb. Dioby 
 
 Wyatt on 
 Cabpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 and present 
 state of ex¬ 
 cellence 
 under the 
 direction 
 of M. Badin, 
 and with 
 the aid of 
 M. Dieterle. 
 
 Processes of 
 dyeing the 
 wools 
 
 present director,” with whom I enjoyed several opportunities 
 of discussing the magnificent figure made by the Gobelins 
 establishment on the present great occasion. He assured me 
 of the lively interest at all times manifested in the productions 
 of the Gobelins by the Emperor Napoleon III., and warmly 
 acknowledged the great assistance he had now for many 
 years received in the artistic department from my respected 
 colleague on the juries of the last three universal exhibitions. 
 M. Dieterle. 
 
 In the above notices I have been constrained to omit much 
 of very great interest. My deficiencies may, however, be 
 easily made up for by consulting the excellent Notice 
 Historique sur les Manufactures Impériales de Tapisseries 
 des Gobelins et de Tapis de la Savonnerie, par A. L. Lacor- 
 daire, Directeur,” &c. ; Paris, 1853.” 
 
 I do not purpose entering in this report into the technical 
 processes by which the Gobelins tapestries are produced; 
 partly because they may be so much better understood from 
 even a hasty visit to the manufactory (which is one of the 
 well-known sights of Paris) than they could be from any 
 written description, and partly because they have been so 
 admirably and so frequently described by others, and notably 
 in the above-mentioned work by M. Lacordaire. 
 
 A few words, however, on that part of the subject which 
 generally escapes the notice of the visitor to the Gobelins— 
 the arrangements made for dyeing all the wools used for 
 the Imperial tapestries, carpets, and furniture stuffs at the 
 present time—may not be out of place or useless. I there¬ 
 fore condense, in great part from the excellent description of 
 the establishment given in the first three numbers of M. Tur- 
 gand^s fine work ‘^Les Grandes Usines” a few particulars of 
 the current practice. 
 
 The dyers’ workshop in the Gobelins manufactory is, 
 without doubt, the first dyeing establishment in the world ; 
 not, of course, from its extent, but on account of the 
 perfection of the processes and the infinite number and 
 systematic preservation of the nuances ” or shades of tints 
 therein produced. M. Chevreuil, member of the Institute, is 
 now, and has long been, its director, with M. Decaux as 
 sub-direetor. The value of the treatise by the former, On 
 the Simultaneous Contrast of Colour,” is acknowledged by 
 every artist. The workshop is simple, being composed of a 
 drying-room, of a large chamber with coppers for scalding 
 and dyeing, and of a subterranean passage leading to seven 
 furnaces, in which the colouring liquids are boiled. Under 
 the windows flow the sluggish waters of the Bièvre, grey 
 opaque, noisome, creeping slowly between two stone quays 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Carpets, Tapestry, dec. 
 
 37 
 
 and with its slimy waters charged with all the refuse which Mb.Dkjbt 
 
 ^ • ii'YA.TT Olf 
 
 flows from the various manufactories upon the little river’s carpets, 
 
 1 1 Tapestry) 
 
 banks. &c. 
 
 The following is the process carried on in the dyeing- descried, 
 room :—The wool is mostly Kentish, and is spun at Nonan- 
 court, in the department of the Eure. After having been 
 selected and inspected with the greatest care by the firm of 
 Vulliamy (the agents through whom they are procured), the 
 fleeces are classified, on their arrival at the Gobelins, into 
 very fine fleeces for the Savonnerie and Beauvais work, and 
 those a little less fine, and ultimately differently spun, for 
 converting into Gobelins tapestry. When the yarns have 
 been examined by M. Perrey, chief of the works, they are 
 submitted to a graduated cleansing, according to the colours 
 which they are to receive. Passed through whitewash, sub¬ 
 carbonate of soda, or simply through bran, they are given 
 more or less affinity for this or that tint, according to the 
 duration of the proceeding and the nature of the liquid. The 
 scouring operation requires watching with great care, espe¬ 
 cially during the bath of subcarbonate of soda, of which the 
 temperature can never exceed a certain fixed limit, without a 
 risk of spoiling the wool. The skeins, passed over long 
 sticks called lisoirs,” are then plunged into square boilers of 
 iron, which hold the mordant, containing more or less alum 
 or tartaric acid, according to the dyes required. After this 
 they are plunged into a bath of colour. The dyeing of the 
 Gobelins has nothing in common with that of establishments 
 which produce some a single colour, as blue or black, others 
 various tints, but limited in range of shade. Such dyeing as 
 this could be executed by inferior workmen ; but to produce 
 not only the immense variety of colours, but the twenty or 
 thirty shades of each colour, required for this manufacture, 
 demands the employment of real artist dyers. At the Arrange- 
 Gobelins the object is to produce only colours of a good 
 dye —that is, permanent or ^^fast’" colours—the difficulty is 
 therefore much greater than in the case of most private firms, 
 who only strive after effect. It is chiefly in the clear colours 
 that it is important not to make a blunder. Sad to say, a 
 great number of beautiful pieces made at the beginning of 
 the nineteenth century have been simply ruined by the 
 decomposition of certain dyes, which have turned quite 
 brown, whilst others have faded altogether. Thus the three 
 or four years’ work of an artist may be rendered useless by 
 the neglect or mistake of a dyer ; but under the skilful 
 direction of M. Chevreuil this danger no longer exists ; and 
 the chef-d’œuvres now produced will, it is confidently believed, 
 last as long as organic matter can be expected to exist 
 
38 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt oit 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &Ç. 
 
 as to tints 
 by M. Chev¬ 
 reuil. 
 
 How fol¬ 
 lowed by 
 dyers. 
 
 Beautiful 
 
 display. 
 
 without losing their value by change of hue. Each tint at 
 the Gobelins^ according to its position in M. Chevreuirs well 
 known scale, is graduated in twenty-four tones, from the 
 deepest to the most delicate—from deep red to blush rose 
 tint, from the deepest slate gray to the lightest mother-of- 
 pearl. Those skeins placed side by side in the order of their 
 tints have a most pleasing effect. The gradation between 
 skein and skein is little perceptible to anyone but a workman ; 
 but the dyer is not only able to observe it when out of the 
 bath and dry, but even whilst still damp and soaking in the 
 boilers. 
 
 The following is the process when only a simple colour is 
 required. The bath is charged with the deepest colour of 
 the scale required ; the dyer, having placed upon his sticks 
 the skeins which are intended to be of the deepest tint, 
 plunges them into the bath, watches them, raises them up, 
 hangs them on uprights at his right hand, replunges them in 
 the copper, examines them, and notes the time during which 
 they are soaked or dry. When he considers them to have 
 reached the desired stage they are withdrawn and spread out, 
 replunging them afterwards, if required. During this time 
 the bath gets weaker and weaker; if 'it loses its colour 
 too quickly more colouring matter is added. The liquid, 
 becoming less charged with colour, gradually reaches so pale 
 a tone that the twenty-fourth tint becomes almost white. It 
 is in these later operations that a sure eye and skilful hand 
 are required ; the wool must be completely and thoroughly 
 dyed, and yet at the same time possess the delicacy of shade 
 required. Great care is shown in keeping the skeins, when 
 fully dyed, well sorted, and yet easily accessible, so that 
 there may be no impediment when the weaver has to select 
 his woollen pigments for his day’s work. 
 
 It is by such an elaborate system alone that works of the 
 perfect pictorial success which must be recognized in the 
 Gobelins tapestry of the present Exhibition can be achieved. 
 Although no one piece in this year’s display is as striking as 
 
 The Assumption,” after Titian, exhibited in 1862, there is 
 a far greater variety of style illustrated, with an even greater 
 amount of harmonious colouring. The striking feature of 
 the present Exhibition is the advantage which it has derived 
 from the active co-operation of Mr. Dieterle, formerly artistic 
 director of the Imperial manufactory at Sèvres. That 
 distinguished artist’s sensibility to the value of colour in 
 shadow, and in what the French call tons dégradés,” is 
 quite exceptional, and sets off the pictorial tours de force of 
 the Imperial manufacture to the utmost. 
 
Mr. Digby Wyatt on Carpets, Tapestry, <&c. 
 
 39 
 
 The largest piece of the Exhibition is a reproduction of 
 the Aurora ” of the Villa Rospigliosi, by Guido. Perfect, 
 no doubt, as a reproduction of the copy made in oil from the 
 original fresco, this picture fails to render either the soft 
 luminosity of a fresco or the intensity of tone of an oil picture, 
 treated as an oil picture should be. In point of fact, it is 
 almost impossible to satisfactorily copy a fresco in oil ; and 
 this tapestry being made from such an unsatisfactory trans¬ 
 lation of the original, fails, of course, in the particulars in 
 which the mistranslation was defective. In the specimen 
 which hangs beneath the Aurora, taken from the beautiful 
 oil picture, by Titian, Sacred and Profane Love,’^ in the 
 Borghese Gallery at Rome, a much more successful result 
 has been obtained—all the richness and transparency of 
 Titian’s luminous palette having been perfectly reproduced. 
 As a masterly illustration of how works of art of the highest 
 character may be allied with the furnishing and hangings of 
 a noble apartment, the student may be invited to carefully 
 study the border by which M. Dieterle has surrounded this 
 beautiful picture. On each side of the Sacred and Profane 
 Love hang two dessus de portes (or, rather, will hang, for 
 one of them is as yet incomplete), which unite the utmost 
 brilliancy and gaiety of colour with perfect repose and 
 absence of garishness.’' The colour of the ground of these 
 little panels is extraordinarily successful, and illustrates 
 admirably a favourite theory of the artist that harmony can 
 never be produced by the opposition of complementaries of 
 equal intensity. In gradations of unequal intensities the eye 
 feels an incessant sense of changeful illumination, which gives 
 a life and grace opposed to the fixed and staring effect which 
 more equal balancing ^of intensities invariably produces. It 
 would occupy too much space in this report if I were to 
 dwell too long upon the subtleties of polychromy which this 
 year's exhibition of the Gobelins displays. The ordinary 
 spectator will feel them, if he may be unable to trace and 
 unravel them ; and the intellectual exercise of picking them 
 out for himself will be invaluable for the decorative artist. I 
 cannot, however, refrain from dwelling upon the set of three 
 hangings of Beauvais manufacture which hang over the left- 
 hand side of the large carpet (by far the least successful of 
 M. Dieterle's works) in the Sèvres Court. The arabesques, 
 which are in a true French rather than Italian style, upon 
 brilliant crimson, deep yellow, and dull sky-blue grounds, 
 are among the most beautiful ever executed ; and blend into 
 the perfection of deep, rich, and yet vivid colouring. Too 
 often papers, decorations, and tapestries only make rooms 
 look uncomfortable ; but I cannot imagine that a room hung 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt on 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 Mainly 
 through 
 excellent 
 work, and 
 M. Dieterle's 
 fine taste. 
 
 Analysis of 
 moTits. 
 
40 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mh. Digby 
 Wyatt obt 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 Beauvais 
 
 tapestry. 
 
 Furniture 
 
 stuffs, 
 
 French. 
 
 with such tapestries as this^ framed in ebony and gold, or in 
 oak with ebony inlays, or in ebony with ivory inlays, or with 
 walnut and mother-of-pearl inlays, could look otherwise than 
 beautiful. 
 
 Around the Gobelins Court are arranged many sofas 
 and chairs covered with tapestries made at the Imperial 
 manufactory at Beauvais. They possess all the technical 
 and artistic excellences of Gobelins tapestry, but it is im¬ 
 possible to feel that the designs are often suitable for the 
 purposes to which the pieces of furniture they decorate are 
 usually put. 
 
 In France alone we meet with attempts to rival the 
 Imperial manufactures of the Gobelins and Beauvais, and in 
 many cases the rivalry is well sustained. In this line of 
 production for furniture stuffs ” the great house of Arnaud 
 Gadin, of Nismes, stands conspicuous, and well merits the 
 high reward the jury have given to it. At the same time 
 the designs are, to my taste, certainly too pictorial for many 
 of the uses to which the stuffs are applied. For instance, to 
 find oneself sitting upon a pair of doves or darts, or a 
 shepherd and shepherdess, or on a waterfall and ancient 
 chateau, is not a happy although a by-no-means uncommon 
 sensation in France. Even to be supposed to be crushing a 
 bouquet of lovely flowers does not seem sensible. What is 
 delightful as a picture mounted upon a screen is not so well 
 on the back of a chair, and still less is it well when it forms 
 the seat. These distinctions are not sufficiently felt by the 
 French, who, in spite of their Republicanism and Imperial¬ 
 ism, accept anything if it has but the ^^chic’’ of the ancient 
 régime^ and the consequence is that frequently much of their 
 laborious dexterity is misapplied. Another point as to which 
 they are often careless is to prepare for stuffs and hangings, 
 which must be folded irregularly, designs which to have any 
 meaning at all must be fully displayed. I mention these 
 points in connection with such a house as that of Arnaud 
 Gadin not because that house is specially guilty, but simply 
 by way of a hint that the best and most celebrated are not 
 free from reproach on this head. The houses of Walmez, 
 Duboux and Dager, and of Berchoud and Guerreau, of Paris, 
 and that of Bernard Laurent, of Amiens (the last especially 
 in etoflTes epinglées ”), contribute specimens in which the 
 dyes are beautiful, and the Jacquard weaving unexception¬ 
 able. For perfect pictorial work, I was especially struck by 
 the productions of Duplan and Co., of Paris. Bequillart 
 Roussel, and Ohocquel, also of Paris, sustain by a brilliant 
 display a well-earned reputation, as do Sallandrouze, Père et 
 Fils, of Aubusson and Paris. They exhibit, much as they 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Carpets, Tapestry, &c. 41 
 
 have done before, stuflfs for furniture beautifully executed, 
 and portières covered with well-executed but misapplied 
 flowers and garlands. Morceaux, of Paris, has some good 
 and some very crude specimens. Mazure and Mazure of 
 Eoubaix, is very strong in reps, poplins, and damasks for 
 upholstery. 
 
 In other countries than France, amongst the first of 
 the exhibitors in the department of stuffs for curtains and 
 upholstery generally must certainly be placed the house of 
 Haas und Sohne, of Vienna. For good taste and perfect 
 manufacture of every variety of this class of goods they 
 stand conspicuous ; and their display altogether is an honour 
 to their country, and a profit also, since their various esta¬ 
 blishments give employment to no less than 2,500 workmen. 
 Their portières and curtains are of especial merit, and the 
 skill with which their designers manage to make the most of 
 the silk they combine with wool in mixed fabrics is truly 
 remarkable. 
 
 In stamped leather, or leather for covering furniture, there 
 was no novelty. Dulud, in France, has rather fallen off ; 
 and an exhibitor named Boucart has advanced. I did not 
 observe any good specimens from other countries. 
 
 The Algerian mats are good, though coarse. They are 
 generally very low in tone, but harmonious; the colours 
 rarely more than red and yellow. The Portuguese are 
 satisfactory when in one or two ingrained colours ; but 
 when superficially dyed in bright colours the tints become 
 fugitive and the general effect vulgar. The best of all the 
 mats in the Exhibition are the Indian, both in make and 
 appearance. The patterns are quite classical in style, and 
 recall the best types of mosaics for flooring purposes. The 
 grass mats from Palghaut, on the Malabar Coast, made by 
 Koravan Mayau, are of extraordinary strength, durability, 
 fineness, and flexibility. They may be bent almost double 
 without injury, and in the hot weather they are very much 
 used by the natives and Europeans (when once they have 
 found out how comfortable they are) for sleeping upon. 
 Other good Indian grass mats are made at Midnapore, near 
 Calcutta. 
 
 In india-rubber and straw matting I noticed no particular 
 novelty ; the kamptulicon and linoleum of England were 
 good, both in principle as to decoration and in manufacture. 
 In oil-cloth and floor-cloth England appeared to me to stand 
 facile princeps. Naim of Kirkcaldy, Scotland, with Mr. 
 Owen Jones's help, cuts a capital figure. Crosnier and Roze, 
 in France, were respectable—the former especially in his 
 small-patterned goods. 
 
 20406.—23. D 
 
 Mb. Digbt 
 Wyatt ow 
 Caepetb, 
 Tapestey, 
 &c. 
 
 Austrian. 
 
 Stamped 
 
 leather. 
 
 Mats— 
 Algerian, 
 Portuguese, 
 and Indian. 
 
 Floorcloths. 
 
 Nairn. 
 
42 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt on 
 Carpets, 
 Tapestry, 
 &c. 
 
 C tton fur¬ 
 niture stuffs. 
 
 Indian pa- 
 lampores. 
 
 J S. Tem¬ 
 pleton’s 
 hangings. 
 
 Heilbron- 
 ner’s em¬ 
 broideries. 
 
 In furniture stuffs of cotton there was a keen competition 
 in the article of muslin curtains between the French (of 
 Tarare and Saint Quentin) and the Swiss. After much 
 controversy the scale turned, and I think justly, in favour of 
 the former. In chintzes and cretonnes the French excelled, 
 and in the patterns for the latter especially some admirable 
 designs were exhibited, both from Rouen and Muhlhausen. 
 The English in this department did not adequately put forth 
 their strength. 
 
 The Indian palampores and block-printed cottons generally 
 were excellent in pattern, as were the embroidered stuffs 
 of all kinds adapted for hangings. The embroideries in silk 
 from Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Algeria, the Caucasus, and 
 China were all full of character, and presented most in¬ 
 teresting types, both of form and colour, each harmonising 
 perfectly with the furniture and architecture of the respective 
 countries. 
 
 Upon the whole, taking all the sections of this class into 
 account, I felt that the English had the best of it in carpets 
 (both woven and felted), matting generally, kamptulicon, 
 and floor-cloths, and the French in all the other principal 
 departments. 
 
 The English furniture stuffs were far, however, from des¬ 
 picable. The mixed-fabric goods of several manufacturers, 
 the hangings of J. and J. S. Templeton, the mediæval em¬ 
 broideries of Heilbronner, of Regent-street, and probably many 
 other such specialties, possessed admirable features, both of 
 manufacture and style ; but, as they were classed for the most 
 part in other sections, their good qualities will no doubt be 
 pointed out by judges more competent to do justice to their 
 merits than I can pretend to be. 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Paperhangings. 
 
 1 
 
 Repokt on Paperhangings. —(Class 19).—By M. Digby 
 Wyatt, Architect, and Juror for Class 15. 
 
 In industrial art, as in human life, where the will is freest, 
 and the mode of action most facile, responsibility is greatest ; 
 and, as a consequence, discretion is most needed. To be 
 discreet on all occasions is one of the rarest and most valuable 
 qualities which the designer for manufactures can possibly 
 possess. To know when to advance and when to retire, 
 when to attract the spectator’s eye and when to escape it, 
 demands both judgment and experience in the highest degree. 
 In few branches of production is the temptation to excess 
 more active than in that of the manufacture of paper hangings. 
 It costs the manufacturer no more, or at any rate little 
 more, to be brilliant than to be sombre. His goods are, 
 perhaps, least costly to produce when they are most glaring 
 and crude. 
 
 In one important particular the decorative painter has a 
 great advantage over the manufacturer of paperhangings. 
 The former has a keynote, as it were, struck for his work, 
 by the size, form, situation, mode and sources of lighting, 
 and general aspect of the room he may be called upon to 
 ornament. Sometimes he even knows the furniture belonging 
 to the room. The latter, on the other hand, works, so to 
 speak, in the dark. He can have no idea under what con¬ 
 ditions what he makes may be used ; he makes to sell, and, 
 with the issue of his goods from his factory, but not with 
 their applicability as decorations, his apparent responsibility, 
 so far as taste is concerned, may be considered to be at an 
 end. In the present day, I believe in the last particular he 
 will find himself mistaken. If he habitually manufactures 
 what may be very well made, but what looks ill under most 
 circumstances, he will lose his reputation, and consequently 
 money, and vice versâ. 
 
 Taking into account the large cost of getting up ” an 
 efficient decoration, it becomes, therefore, a real source of 
 economy for the manufacturer to spend his money liberally 
 in getting the best design possible. By employing the 
 highest available talent to advise him before encountering 
 his chief expense, he best ensures that that expense, when 
 made, shall become a source of profit to him ; but before 
 even calling in an artist to assist him, it behoves him to make 
 up his mind clearly as to the kind of thing it will be most 
 profitable for him to manufacture. 
 
 20406.—26. A 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Paper- 
 hangings. 
 
 Value of 
 discretion 
 in design. 
 
 Comparison 
 between 
 paperhang¬ 
 ings and 
 freehanded 
 painted de¬ 
 coration. 
 
 Difficulties 
 which sur¬ 
 round the 
 manufac¬ 
 turers of 
 paperhang¬ 
 ings. 
 
2 
 
 Reporta on the Paria Exhibition. 
 
 Me. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Papee- 
 HANOINGS. 
 
 Value to 
 them of the 
 best possible 
 artistic as¬ 
 sistance. 
 
 which must, 
 however, 
 be rendered 
 in a practical 
 shape to be 
 of real ser¬ 
 vice. 
 
 How such 
 assistance 
 must be 
 made prac¬ 
 tical. 
 
 It is one of the most healthy signs for the prosperous future 
 of British paperhanging that the chief exhibitors appear to 
 have sought and obtained the assistance of educated and 
 earnest artists on the present occasion ; and it is little less 
 satisfactory to observe that there is an entire absence of the 
 pitiful trade jealousy and secretiveness which lead usually 
 to the suppression of the name or identity of the artist 
 employed. There appears, in fact, to exist now an honour¬ 
 able rivalry amongst the manufacturers as to who shall get 
 hold ” of the right and best man. Our artist is no longer 
 confounded with our traveller "" or our warehouseman 
 but he is put forward as responsible for his own share in the 
 productions of the house, to receive praise if they are good, 
 or blame if they are bad. 
 
 It is of no use, however, employing even the best talent 
 in the production of what wiU not sell ; and of that the 
 manufacturer must be the best judge. The artist may best 
 know what ought to sell, the manufacturer knows what ivill 
 sell. Both employ their energies to the best advantage when 
 they combine to produce at once what does sell and what 
 ought to sell ; and unless they work together to this end, 
 production is limited either to the pandering to fashion 
 of a passing moment or to the manufacture of unsaleable 
 goods. The great object at the present moment should be 
 to convert change into progress. A shifting public demands 
 novelty, and will have it. Recognize the necessity and 
 give the novelty, not in the form of a transition from one 
 conceit to another, but in the form of more beauty, better 
 balance of parts, and purer colouring than any to which 
 the eye of the public has been heretofore accustomed. 
 
 It is of course competent and justifiable for a manufac¬ 
 turer of paperhangings to regard his production as a decora¬ 
 tion complete in itself, neither needing nor fearing any 
 addition in the way of picture, mirror, hanging, or furniture 
 to set it off or contrast with it. On that supposition he 
 may dispense with any consideration of whether it would 
 make a satisfactory background for prints or drawings, 
 whether it would go with furniture in dark or in light 
 coloured woods, whether it would harmonize with chintz 
 or with silk curtains ; and, in fact, he may hold himself free 
 from the necessity for any other study than that of the 
 decoration itself. In freeing himself from the shackles, 
 however, he takes upon himself one burden which requires 
 strong shoulders to support—viz., he must make his decora¬ 
 tion beautiful in itself. There is nothing so beautiful as 
 nudity, when every form is graceful ; but, as we all know, 
 she must be aU but a goddess who can dispense with a toilet 
 
Mr, Digby Wyatt on Paperhangings. 
 
 3 
 
 in toto. Treating, therefore, a paperhanging under the 
 aspect of a decoration only, the manufacturer must either 
 design it for a set of special conditions—say, for a certain 
 apartment ; or he must so design it as to prepare for such 
 modifications in it as may be entailed by the various con¬ 
 ditions and features of rooms he never has seen, and which 
 he very probably never may see. Under the first con¬ 
 tingency he will probably fail to give satisfaction, because 
 more effect could most hkely be got at less cost by free¬ 
 hand painting ; and under the second the difficulties are 
 obviously very great, since a decoration may look very well 
 under one set of conditions which may look very ill under 
 another. The only safe refuge for the manufacturer of paper- 
 hangings lies, I think, in analysing the usual component parts 
 of a good decoration, and so designing those parts for the 
 decoration he is about to make as to allow of their being 
 readily brought together in various forms of recombination, 
 without risk of their misfitting or looking incongruous. The 
 bibliophile will at once apprehend the value of the system 
 now recommended when he recalls the great variety of elegant 
 designs which were produced by the collocation and variation 
 of wood blocks in the hands of the early German, Dutch, 
 Itahan, and French printers. Many a noble volume is filled 
 from end to end with what appear to be a succession of 
 fresh designs in rich borders and fittings ; and yet, on analysis, 
 the whole will turn out to be composed by the permutation 
 of a dozen or so of small wood blocks. Often the same com¬ 
 ponent parts of patterns will recur in the duodecimo which 
 have already done duty in the folio ; and by judgment and 
 ingenuity they will be made to look well in both, Should 
 such illustrations not recur to the reader’s recollection, he 
 will certainly remember how often he may have admired 
 the dexterity with which the bookbinder, with a few well- 
 arranged simple tools, contrives to vary the decorations of 
 the volume he may have been employed to ornament. 
 
 Infinitely various as mural decoration may be made, the 
 eye is generally satisfied with the combination upon any one 
 wall of a set of parts fulfilling the following functions:—1st, 
 that of a cornice ; 2nd, that of a frieze ; 3rd that of a pilaster, 
 or marked vertical division ; 4th, that of a stringcourse, or 
 marked horizontal division; 5th, that of a framework to a 
 panel; 6th, that of a diaper, or panel-filling; 7th, that of a 
 comer-piece changing the rectangular form of a panel ; 8th, 
 that of a central ornament to enliven a panel space ; 9th, that 
 of a dado forming a quiet base against which furniture will 
 detach itself agreeably; and, 10th, a still quieter plinth, or 
 skirting, reconciling the carpet with the wall enrichment. If 
 
 A 2 
 
 Mr. Dioby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Paper- 
 HANGUNGS. 
 
 Great neces¬ 
 sity for 
 flexibility '* 
 of pattern. 
 
 Good models 
 furnished by 
 early prin¬ 
 ters. 
 
 Analysis of 
 components 
 of ordinary 
 paperhang- 
 mg decora¬ 
 tion. 
 
4 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Me. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Papeh- 
 
 HANGINGS. 
 
 How such 
 components 
 should be 
 combined 
 with free¬ 
 hand paint¬ 
 ing. 
 
 Owen Jones 
 —his ser¬ 
 vices to this 
 branch of 
 industry, 
 by his de¬ 
 signs 
 
 such a series of parts, or rather^ two or more such series of 
 parts in duplicate or triplicate, are arranged upon some 
 common measure ’’ of geometrical division and scale, they 
 may be counterchanged in an almost infinite permutation, and 
 great variety of effect obtained at small cost. By employing 
 a greater or smaller series of multiples of the parts in com¬ 
 mon measure,” the setting out may be altered, and panels 
 formed, subdivided, enlarged, or diminished, almost at will. 
 This is the best way of providing for inevitable alterations 
 and making decoration flexible ; but it cannot, of course, lead 
 to exactly the same result, or one as perfectly successful, as 
 might be obtained by specially designing a decoration for a 
 given place and under definite conditions of scale, purpose, 
 lighting, &c. Architects often wonder why a combination 
 should not be made of the two processes of block-printing 
 and free-hand painting to a much greater extent than has been 
 hitherto generally adopted. As yet it has been seldom 
 attempted, except in the cheap furbishing up of minor theatres 
 and concert-rooms, and then upon a wrong principle—viz., 
 that of using the paperhanging to replace free-hand artistic 
 painting for leading motives,” as in groups of flowers, 
 arabesques, &c., .leaving the monotonous geometrical or 
 architectural parts to be roughly stencilled or carelessly hand- 
 painted on pouncing.” The result of this treatment is that 
 where the eye chiefly rests the mechanical mode of execution 
 is at once apparent through the formal repetitions of features 
 which any decorative painter would instinctively vary as he 
 went on. The exact contrary to this practice is the one 
 which should be adopted—viz., the ad libitum motives should 
 be freely hand-painted on grounded or even block-printed 
 diapered paper, and with body colours from a limited series 
 of ^^pots;” while all the regular repeats of conventional 
 works, forming borders and frames, stringcourses, cornices, 
 &c. might be block or cylinder printed. The whole would 
 then unite ; the mechanism would be unobtrusive; and, at 
 moderate cost, a really original and effective decoration might 
 be produced. 
 
 Mr. Owen Jones, who has assisted the English paper¬ 
 hanging manufacturers more than any other living artist, has 
 brought the experience gained by his almost lifelong labours 
 for Messrs. De la Hue to bear upon the branch of trade now 
 under consideration. Many years ago he designed for that 
 firm an entirely new set of bookbinders’ tools, so arranged as to 
 form patterns of endless elaboration by simple juxta-position 
 in regular geometrical series. A year or two ago he worked 
 out for Messrs. Jackson and Graham a series of blocks for 
 paperhangings, conceived upon the same system. These 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Paperhangings. 
 
 5 
 
 were first used^ with admirable effect, for a palace decorated 
 and furnished by that firm for his Highness the Pacha of onpapee- 
 Egypt ; and since then they have been multiplied over the 
 face of the country—helping materially to educate the 
 national eye by accustoming it to conventional forms of 
 simple grace and to scales of colour of delicate adjust¬ 
 ment. 
 
 Mr. Owen Jones is a well known advocate for ‘Ohe flat Ws 
 treatment ’^ of paperhangings, and has not as yet publicly 
 recognized in his practice the propriety of the admixture of 
 the pictorial with the flat treatment. Before indicating the 
 direction in which I think the views of one who has both 
 taught and practised so successfully in this department of 
 industry may be advantageously extended and relaxed, it 
 will be but fair to reproduce the enunciation of those views 
 given by their originator on the occasion of his well known 
 lectures on ‘‘ The True and False in Art,’" delivered at 
 Marlborough House shortly after the close of the great 
 Exhibition of 1851—a moment when the attention of artists 
 and manufacturers was livelily kindled, and from which a 
 new era may be said to have been instituted for the progress 
 of industrial art, not in this country only, but over the 
 whole face of Europe. The year 1851 will long remain the 
 stadium ” from which industrial mileage will have to be 
 reckoned. Speaking then of the true and false ” in relation to 
 paperhangings, Mr. Owen Jones observes that:—It is very His view of 
 evident that one of the first principles to be attended to in 
 adorning the walls of an apartment is that nothing should 
 disturb their flatness ; yet it is very difficult to find a paper i^gs. 
 which does not in some way violate this rule. Either we 
 have large masses of conventional foliage, in high apparent 
 relief, surrounding masses of unbroken colour, or represen¬ 
 tations of flowers, fruits, and ribbons t\^dsted into the most 
 unwarrantable of positions ; nothing is more common than to 
 find strawberries and cherries, or other equally impossible 
 combinations, growing on the same stalk ; and although great 
 pains are taken to make the fruit and flowers as much like 
 nature as the paperstainer s art can make them, his imitative 
 skill only increases its inconsistency. 
 
 Strawberries do not grow on walls, but on the ground, and 
 although roses mny be trained over walls, they are not endless 
 representations of the same bunches ; nor are they interlaced 
 with satin ribbons. I will at once concede that neither the 
 manufacturers who make them, nor the public who piwchase 
 them, regard these productions seriously. Viev^ed in this 
 light, the designs are too absurd to be endurable for an 
 instant ; they are only regarded as a means of distributing 
 
6 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition, 
 
 Mh. Diobt 
 Wyatt 
 ON Papek- 
 
 HANGINOS. 
 
 Diaper pat¬ 
 terns and 
 flat treat¬ 
 ment recom¬ 
 mended as 
 " safest/* 
 
 80 much colour over the surface harmoniously and agreeably. 
 This is the very best apology that I can make for them. 
 
 What we contend for is that the same result may be 
 obtained by a more eonventional treatment, that we may 
 reach the same end by less vicious means. 
 
 That colour may be so distributed, without incongruous 
 design, we have the Indian fabrics to prove in one direction, 
 and the Gothic papers of Mr. Pugin in another. 
 
 It is not by any means necessary (nay, it would be most 
 unendurable) to adopt the peculiar expression of either of 
 these styles, but the same principles which are common to 
 both would equally lead to the formation of a fresh style of 
 convention, more adapted to our own modes of feeling, if our 
 artists and manufacturers would only lend themselves to the 
 attempt, and if the public would only insist upon requiring it. 
 We say, therefore, that all direct representations of natural 
 objects in paperhangings should be avoided, first, because it 
 places these objects in unseemly positions ; secondly, because 
 it is customary in almost every apartment to suspend on the 
 walls pictures, engravings, or other ornamental works ; and 
 that, therefore, the paper should serve as a background, 
 and nothing on it should be obtrusive or advancing to the 
 eyes. • 
 
 Diaper patterns in self tints are safest for this purpose ; 
 but, when varieties of colours are used, the Oriental rule of 
 so interweaving the form and colour as that they may present 
 a neutralised bloom, when viewed at a distance, should never 
 be departed from. The prevailing colours of the walls of 
 rooms hung with printed paper should, of course, vary with 
 the character of the room and aspect. Halls and staircases 
 look well hung with green, because the eye on entering a 
 house is generally fatigued by the strong glare of daylight, 
 and green is the most refreshing colour. Studies and 
 dining rooms look well with dull reds in diapers or flocks, 
 which may be enriched with gold. These form good back¬ 
 grounds for engravings or pictures ; but the reds or greens 
 must never be positive colours, but low-toned and broken, so 
 as not disagreeably to impinge upon the eye. In drawing¬ 
 rooms, where the paper has more to do towards furnishmg 
 and beautifying a room, they may be more gay : almost any 
 tone and shade of colour, heightened with gold, may be used, 
 provided always that the colours are so arranged and the 
 forms so interwoven that a perfect balance be obtained and 
 the eye never attracted to any one portion. Floral-patterned 
 papers have, by universal consent and fashion, been adopted 
 for bed-rooms ; and I fear we should gain but little in our 
 attempt to change it ; we may contend, at least, that they 
 
Mr. Digby Wyatt on Paperhangings. 7 
 
 should be floral patterns on a very different principle to 
 those now in use; and, for ourselves, we may say that a 
 floral-patterned paper of whatsoever kind is the very last we 
 should think of choosing. Everyone who has been ill of 
 fever, or restless, night or morning, well knows how the 
 vacant mind is constantly exercising its fancy on the pattern 
 of a paper, trying to make aU sorts of impossible combinations 
 with it. It is the same impulse which we sometimes feel to 
 jump over a precipice, only in the one case we do not indulge 
 the impulse for fear of consequences, and in the other we do, 
 ’and thereby materially increase our fever or headache. We, 
 therefore, should choose for ourselves a paper of very low- 
 toned secondaries or tertiaries, and on it we should suspend 
 a very fine engraving from the old masters, or other work of 
 art, as perfect as our means would allow. This would 
 enliven the room, and furnish better contemplation for the 
 mind when feverish or restless than the vain endeavour to 
 make something out of nothing.’^ 
 
 The decoration Mr. Owen Jones has designed for the 
 present Exhibition, for the enterprising house of Jeffries, has 
 been well rendered by that firm ; and exhibits many of 
 Mr. Jones’s dogmas carried into successful practice. What 
 are especially noticeable in this decoration are the general 
 blooming cheerfulness of the colouring, which is cast in a 
 bright though tender key ; the perfect flow and growth of 
 the stems and leafage ; and the well balanced scale and 
 massing of all the conventional forms of which the ornament 
 is built up. As now exhibited—z>., at an undue height 
 above the level of the eye, and with a top light—the exact 
 reverse of the allowance should be made, which is necessary 
 to a just appreciation of the effect of the gilding in the case 
 of the decoration exhibited by Messrs. H. Woollams and Co., 
 as I shall have occasion to explain further on. In Jeffries’s 
 case the gold, which is good and brilliant, is quite flat, and 
 the light, falling upon it from above in a solid mass, is 
 reflected, almost in a sheet, from the surface of the gold to 
 the eye of the spectator ; the consequence is that it apparently 
 predominates over the colours to the extent of causing them 
 in certain places to all but disappear. This was never, of 
 course, the effect anticipated by either Mr. Owen Jones or 
 the manufacturer, and under no circumstances in actual use 
 is there the slightest probability that such a dazzling amount 
 of reflection would reach the eye from the brilliant surface of 
 the gilding. 
 
 In the case of Messrs. H. Woollams and Co.’s decoration 
 the gilding is treated on quite a different system, the gold 
 being laid upon a granulated surface. This mode of gilding 
 
 Mb. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Papeb- 
 
 HANGING8. 
 
 Mr. Jones's 
 work in the 
 present Ex¬ 
 hibition for 
 Messrs. 
 Jeffries. 
 
 Messrs. H. 
 Woollams’ 
 decoration. 
 
8 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 is peculiarly luminous in cases where the main lighting of 
 ON papiïk- the upper part of the room in which a decoration is hung 
 HAN^Gs. gilding of which is carried out on such a surface) is 
 
 derived from light reflected from the floor of the room. The 
 reason of this luminous aspect is that the light reflected from 
 the floor catches every little projection from the granulated 
 surface^ and the lighted part of the granulation is directly 
 exposed to the eye of the spectator looking upwards. The 
 shaded part is, of comse, away from and invisible to him. 
 Now, in the case of a top light shining on a similarly granu¬ 
 lated and gilt surface, each projecting granulation has a lower 
 side in shade ; and when the surface of the gilding, so lit, is 
 above the level of the spectator's eye, it is the shaded, and 
 not the illuminated, side which he sees ; or, at any rate, he 
 sees more of the shaded than of the illuminated side, accord¬ 
 ing to the angle of vision. The consequence is that, what on 
 a level with the eye looks a fine luminous mass of gold, when 
 raised above it, shows as little more than a dead colour ; and, 
 of course, the original scale of balance between colour and 
 gilding, upon which the designer and manufacturer reckon, is 
 vitiated, and the effect aimed at is not obtained 
 Serious There is another mode in which the height above the eye 
 
 tages o^the wliich this particular decoration is placed operates to its 
 mode of serious detriment — viz., owing to the obtuse angle of the 
 papeiïanf- visual ray, the spectator looking upwards sees all the forms 
 at uie^Exhl^ projected on the vertical plane of the decoration greatly fore- 
 bition. shortened ; while equal spaces upon any horizontal line scarcely 
 differ to the eye whether they occur at the top or at the 
 bottom of the decoration. It follows that the arabesque upon 
 the pilaster appears unduly huddled together and crowded 
 when contrasted with the ornaments upon the stringcourse 
 and frieze. So detrimental, in fact, are the conditions of dis¬ 
 play regarded by the manufacturer, that he has assured me 
 that nothing will tempt him to exhibit specially-made decora¬ 
 tions again, unless he can feel assured that they will be seen 
 in any exhibition, as nearly as may be, as they would be seen 
 in actual use. Of course, all the paperhangings which are 
 raised considerably above the level of the eye suffer ; but 
 those obviously most from which the spectator can recede but 
 little, and in which the predominant forms assimilate to well- 
 known examples, cast in a scale of proportion differing from 
 that into which those more or less formed upon them, are forced 
 Messrs. H. by Optical distortion. In addition to his decoration, Mr. 
 ShS^gS)ds. Henry Woollams showed a few good speciruens of estampé” 
 gilding on flock and raised flocks to the public ; and to the 
 jury he submitted portfolios of examples of his current pro¬ 
 ductions, with which they signified their entire satisfaction. 
 
9 
 
 Mr. JDighy Wyatt on Paperhangings. 
 
 Among these were conspicuous a class of patterns which find 
 much greater favour at home than abroad. I allude to what 
 are known as mediæval wall papers/’ In this department 
 Messrs. H. Woollams and Co. have attained great eminence ; 
 and the series they have executed, after designs by Mr. G. T. 
 Robinson, architect, of Leamington, are alike creditable to the 
 manufacturer and the designer. In the first place, these 
 papers are original ; in the second, they are based on 
 thoroughly sound principles ; and, in the third, they attempt 
 nothing more than they thoroughly well perform. They are no 
 imperfect imitations of things which ought not to be imitated, 
 or, at any rate, not imitated at all, unless they can be perfectly 
 well imitated. 
 
 Messrs. Scott and Cuthbertson maintain most creditably 
 the high place they have earned in the trade, especially for 
 their flock-upon-flock papers. Their principal decorations 
 consist of raised flock papers, with borders and diapers, both 
 well laid out and balanced. So far the paperhanger ; but 
 from that stage begins the work of the decorative painter, 
 who has grounded,” picked in,” and cut out ” his work 
 in the usual style ; but in this case with good taste and a 
 general blooming,” and rather delicate effect. Messrs. 
 Scott and Cuthbertson, with a straightforwardness which 
 does them credit, attribute the artistic merit of these decora¬ 
 tions, in the case of that reproducing an English style of the 
 15th century (inclining to the Ilolbeinesque rather than the 
 Gothic type of the latter part of that century), to Mr. W. 
 Pittman, of London ; and, in the case of that in the Italian 
 style,” to Mr. J. Rogers, of ShefiSeld. As I have already 
 observed, both these are satisfactory, but it appeared to me 
 that they would form better ceiling than vfall decorations ; 
 and I certainly see no reason why similar raised flock papers 
 should not be largely used to replace elaborate plaster ceilings, 
 or if not to replace them, at any rate to combine with them. 
 
 If Messrs. Scott and Cuthbertson had only exhibited these 
 two decorations, they would have failed to duly vindicate 
 their powers as manufacturers of paperhangings, since for 
 successful effect these decorations have obviously mainly 
 depended upon the decorative painters they have associated 
 with them ; fortunately, however, they exhibited a small 
 specimen of uncoloured flock-upon-flock ” printing which 
 received the unqualified admiration of every manufacturer who 
 looked at it. In its way, there was nothing in the Exhibition 
 to approach it. The thickness of the flocking, the flatness 
 of the ground, and the perfectly clean squareness of the raised 
 edges showed the greatest possible dexterity on the part of 
 the printer. 
 
 Mu. Digbt 
 Wyatt 
 ON Paper- 
 hangings. 
 
 Messrs. 
 Scott & 
 Cuthbertson 
 —their de- 
 coratic»ns ; 
 
 their excel¬ 
 lent “ flock- 
 upon-flock ” 
 printing. 
 
10 
 
 Iteporta on the Paria Exhibition. 
 
 Mn. Diôby 
 Wyatt 
 os- Papee- 
 HASGISGS, 
 
 Messrs. 
 Owen &Oo/s 
 painted 
 raised flock¬ 
 ing cheaply- 
 imitated by 
 machinery 
 by Messrs. 
 H. Wool- 
 lams. 
 
 Messrs. 
 John WooX« 
 lams. 
 
 Messrs. R. 
 Horne & 
 Co. 
 
 Hitherto it has been customary for raised flock paper- 
 makers to rely mainly for the decoration of their papers upon 
 the co-operation of the decorative painter. What the deco¬ 
 rative painter may do in this direction is^ perhaps, best shown 
 by the clever mediæval decoration exhibited by Messrs. 
 Owen and Oo., of London, as a background for furniture. If 
 people are content with monochrome, it is best, and probably 
 cheapest, to hang the papers imcoloured, and to paint and 
 flat them in the ordinary way when hung ; but if it should 
 be desired to “pick out^' the grounds or to paint the raised 
 patterns in different colours, a good deal of expensive hand¬ 
 work is involved. To save this Messrs. H. WooUams and 
 Oo., and possibly other manufacturers, whose specimens, from 
 having been shut up in books, I may not have seen, have 
 decorated their raised flocks by machinery in the factory, and 
 now sell a complete decoration of this kind—which requires 
 nothing but hanging—at a moderate rate. 
 
 The firm of Messrs. John WooUams and Co., under the 
 able management of Mr. Hubert, retains its old position of 
 excellence as manufacturers both of good block and machine 
 printed papers. Their decoration, designed by Mr. Collman, 
 is correct in its forms and tasteful, but wants vigour and 
 novelty. Their current papers are very good. The exact 
 reverse of this criticism on Messrs. John WooUams* decoration 
 applies to the decoration in the Pompeian style, exhibited by 
 Messrs. Robert Home and Co. In that there are, perhaps, 
 too much vigour and novelty—there is certainly an absence 
 of taste. The colours are crude and overloaded; they are 
 insufficiently “ broken up ** with ornamental forms ; and it is 
 to be feared that a native of Pompeii, could he rise, literally, 
 from his ashes, would not feel flattered by such a resuscitation 
 in the 19th century of the style of his native city. StiU, as 
 a specimen of sound printing in paperhanging, the decoration 
 was good in a manufacturing point of view, and showed that 
 all that was wanting for success was a better pattern ; or even 
 the same pattern printed in gentler colouring. This decora¬ 
 tion served as a good iUustration of the danger of a departure 
 from the safe rule in chromatics—that the eye is pained by 
 large masses of strong, crude colour, and may yet be pleased 
 by exactly the same tints in smaU compartments or in sub¬ 
 divided forms. The terms “ large ** and “ small ” in any such 
 dogmas must, of course, be measured by proportion to the 
 whloe area which can be embraced by the eye at one glance 
 from the usual point of view, or within the ordinary limits of 
 distance at which a spectator can plant himself from the surface 
 decorated. 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Paperhangings. 
 
 11 
 
 Mr. Land’s papers are of no great pretension, and are 
 scarcely so successful in their way as Mr. Marsden’s imitations 
 of marbles, some of which attracted a good deal of notice 
 from foreigners. 
 
 Upon the whole, the English block-printed goods hold a 
 fair average position ; and, if less pictorially successful than 
 the French, show in many particulars a juster appreciation of 
 ornamental design in the flat treatment, specially befitting 
 wall decoration by mechanical means. 
 
 In the case of cheap goods produced and multiplied in 
 enormous quantities by machinery, as in those exhibited by 
 0. and J. Potter, of Over Darwen, Lancashire ; William 
 Cooke, of Leeds; W. Snape and Co., Heywood Higgin- 
 bottom. Smith & Co., of Manchester, and others, the very fact 
 of the vastly extensive sale for which they are intended makes 
 the necessity of obtaining first-class patterns one of primary 
 importance, under the double aspect of the education of the 
 eye of the people and of permanent commercial success. 
 
 The most enlightened manufacturers (and, happily, now 
 the number of such is rapidly increasing) are fully alive 
 to the money results produced by the employment of the 
 best talent and the largest experience in the design of common 
 goods. It is therefore to me a matter of regret to observe 
 in one case only, amongst these manufacturers of cheap but 
 very good paperhangings, the execution of really fresh and 
 tasteful designs. The house of William Cooke and Co., of 
 Leeds, exhibits a series of 24 original designs, founded on 
 different flowers and plants, amongst which many are very 
 good and few altogether unpleasing. The treatment of the 
 hop, the hawthorn, and the anemone are particularly agree¬ 
 able to the eye both in form and colour. The Chinese 
 primrose also makes a very pretty delicate diaper. 
 
 When we turn from the display of this firm to that of other 
 manufacturers, we find that the designs of the latter 
 (many of them, particularly those of Mr. Potter, beautifully 
 executed) are of three kinds—the best being reproductions 
 of common French designs of second-rate quality ; the second 
 best, imitations of old stock block-printed papers ; and the 
 third (which are happily exceptional only) are of that dis¬ 
 agreeable class of shaded semi-Gothic panelling and endless 
 repetition of bad little landscapes which were so pungently 
 ridiculed by Pugin and condemned by a most just verdict 
 to the celebrated chamber of horrors ” in Marlborough 
 House. It is strange that amongst the least successful of 
 these papers the colour green, which is usually most tran- 
 quiUising to the eye (as being the complementary to red, 
 which is irritating) should be the very one least successfully 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Paper- 
 hangings. 
 
 Mr. Mars- 
 den. 
 
 Fair position 
 of English 
 block- 
 printed 
 goods as 
 contrasted 
 with French. 
 
 English 
 
 machine- 
 
 printed 
 
 goods. 
 
 W. Cooke 
 & Co’s, 
 good de¬ 
 signs. 
 
 Messrs. 
 Potter of 
 Over Dar¬ 
 wen. 
 
12 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mr. Digby 
 Wyatt 
 0]y Paper- 
 hangings. 
 
 His merit 
 for perseve¬ 
 rance and 
 ingenuity. 
 
 Prospects of 
 this branch 
 of the 
 trade. 
 
 French 
 paperhang- 
 ings. 
 Progress 
 made dur¬ 
 ing the last 
 twelve 
 years. 
 
 used. The error made usually consists in attempting to 
 harmonize the vivid arsenic green by ^‘powdering” it, as 
 the heralds would say, with d^ark red diapering. This only 
 serves by its contrast of* colour to make the green more 
 green, and by constrast of intensity to make it more vivid. 
 
 While thus criticising these cheap papers under their art- 
 aspect it would be throwing away a just occasion for national 
 congratulation to fail to take credit for the strides we have 
 made in bringing their production to a very high pitch of 
 commercial excellence. In spite of our high rates of labour 
 I am assured that we manufacture these papers cheaper 
 and in far larger quantities than does any other country, 
 and that the problem of multiplying colours, even up to 
 thirty in one machine, in which the registry ” of tints is 
 perfectly maintained (as has been done by Mr. Potter) is 
 one as yet quite unrivalled out of England. This perfection 
 of registry has been obtained, to a great extent, by 
 abandoning the use of heated rollers to force the drying of 
 the printed tints, which was found to so distort the paper as to 
 cause it to drag out of register,’" and by adopting the system 
 instead of carrying off the continuous paper to great distances 
 on friction rollers,’" so as to give it sufficient time to dry in 
 a natural way between each imprint. The chief difficulty 
 which still remains to be overcome in the production of 
 these machine-printed papers is to get a sufficient ^‘impasto,’" 
 or body,” printed on the surface of the paper. At present, 
 even the best look a little unsolid and ^^tinty.” This 
 unpleasant impression would virtually cease if the manu¬ 
 facturers of this class of papers would only make a style of 
 patterns for themselves suitable to their means of execution, 
 and not continually invite invidious comparisons by their 
 imitation of the best class of block-printed goods. 
 
 One is the more anxious that machine-printed goods 
 should be made artistically agreeable, since there is reason to 
 fear that before long their relative cheapness will drive the 
 block-printed hand-worked papers to a great extent out of 
 the market. The machine-printed papers are already 
 beginning to monopolise the export trade. 
 
 Having thus hastily surveyed the English paperhangiugs, 
 it may be well to take stock of those of the French, noticing, 
 by way of preface, the general characteristics of French 
 progress during the last 12 years, as summed up by M. Aimé 
 Girard in the official catalogue—viz., 1st, the development 
 of the processes of mechanical printing and constant im¬ 
 provements in connection therewith. Limited at first to the 
 use of three or four colours, this mode of production is now 
 employed successfully in the execution of papers and borders 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Paperhangings. 
 
 13 
 
 involving the employment of from fifteen to twenty colours, mr. digbt 
 2 nd. The recent introduction and immediate general adoption onPaSb- 
 of a mechanical method of laying on the ground tints for 
 paperhangings. 3rd. The invention of several new styles,” 
 such as struck and gilt flocks, imitations of leather and of 
 silk damasks. 4th. The application to paperhangings of 
 certain new colours, such as the series derived from aniline, 
 the substitution of guignet ” green for arsenic, &c. 
 
 The great house of Zuber is not as successful as usual in The houses 
 its pièce de résistance^ but in its ordinary trade papers there 
 are both successful novelties and a very even level of excel- others, 
 lence. The imitations of cretonne chintz hangings are nov/ 
 so close to the originals as quite to deceive the eye at a little 
 distance, and their engraved gold ornaments, the fixing and 
 burnishing of which are produced by heat and pressure, after 
 the fashion of bookbinding, on moire antique,” dead, and 
 stamped morocco or maroquin ” grounds, are of the cleanest 
 and most perfect description. The house of Balin, formerly 
 Genoux, in some of their reproductions of stamped leather 
 by paper worked in relief, have obtained a novel and very 
 rich effect, by floating over a white metal pattern with 
 different coloured transparent lacquers, producing the effect 
 of different coloured metals. Their stamped goldwork is no 
 less good than that of Zuber. Torquetil Malzard, Isidore 
 Leroy, and Gillon Fils, and Thorailler, all lend themselves to 
 that scale of ^^tons neutres,” or low-toned tertiaries, now so 
 popular and monotonous in France, the first named being the 
 only one of the three to break through the tiresome cold 
 feebleness of the rest with a very cleverly-executed imitation 
 of a padded yeUow silk moire antique hanging. This sombre 
 style finds, unfortunately, imitators everywhere (except in 
 England, happily) ; and in Holland the exhibit of J. H. 
 
 Rutten, of Maestricht, is influenced by its foggy dulness. 
 
 Some of the best paperhangings manufactured out of Swedish 
 England and France are shown in the Swedish department, 
 by C. A. Kaberg, of Stockholm. It is not a large, but it is 
 a very good display, one oF the specimens being an entire 
 novelty, in the shape of an imitation in relief of padded silk 
 wall-hangings. In this the raising of the padding and the 
 folds of the silk, as it is gathered in and bound by small 
 coloured glass studs, are produced in relief by pressure, as in 
 the imitations in paper of stamped leather, and the coloui' is 
 applied to this surface. At a very little distance the illusion 
 is complete. However unsatisfactory such illusions may be 
 in point of principle, they still (when successful and novel, as 
 this is) indicate power on the part of the manufacturer which 
 
14 
 
 Reporta on, the Paria Exhibition. 
 
 Mb. Dioby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Papee- 
 HANGHNOS. 
 
 Use and 
 abuse of 
 “ novelty at 
 any price.” 
 
 '* Motives ” 
 of ornamen¬ 
 tation 
 which may 
 be pardon¬ 
 able on a 
 small scale, 
 inadmis¬ 
 sible on a 
 large one. 
 
 only needs judicious direction and control to be made pro¬ 
 fitable to himself and honourable to his country. 
 
 The use of such tricks upon travellers as paper, printed, 
 or painted hangings with armorial bearings, imitating silken 
 banners, which decorate the department in which Mr. Kaberg 
 exhibits, is justifiable only when successful, and in such a case 
 at least a happy end alone can sanction the means. What 
 may be easily excused in the theatre becomes unpardonable 
 in the palace, and what my Lady may delight in as mural 
 millinery to set off her fair person in her own snuggery 
 would be out of place and ridiculous ” in my Lord's 
 saloon. 
 
 In decoration, where the fancy is as free ” as it is in the 
 choice of a paperhanging, it is well to remember that many 
 men have many minds,’' and the arbiter elegantiarum who 
 may have to dictate as to what may or may not fall within 
 the canons of propriety will do well to make his canons 
 sufficiently elastic to take in a \vide diversity of taste and 
 practice. Thus, it should be remembered that much is 
 lawful on a small scale which would be unpardonable on a 
 large one. From Esop’s lapdog and donkey to the present 
 time prettinesses in little have been tolerated, which have 
 become overwhelmingly vulgar when magnified. 
 
 Who would be stem enough to declare what ornamenta¬ 
 tion may not be put upon a fan ? It is far easier to define 
 what would be intolerable in a Church. As old Blondel, 
 with the tact and grace of the ancien regime,” declares, 
 C’est dans la decoration des petits appartements destines 
 au développement de l’esprit que l’on peut seulement 
 s’abandonner à la vivacité de son génie à l’égard des 
 ornemens.” So it is that upon the walls of a boudoir, as 
 we have already hinted, much may be permitted which would 
 be repugnant to good taste in a larger and more public room. 
 For such occasionally may be used with good effect the 
 clever imitations of lace over damask which were such 
 popular novelties a few years ago, and of which some very 
 clever specimens are still shown by the best French houses. 
 As novelty is obviously one of the greatest charms of such 
 colifichets, and as novelty in this case has lost its gloss,” no 
 excellence of manufacture will bring these goods again into 
 vogue until another generation may arise to whom they may 
 still be nouveautés. Their place has to some extent been 
 taken, upon the present occasion, by such imitations as that 
 we have noticed, by Mr. Kaberg, and others of cretonne 
 chintzes. These have been very satisfactorily executed by 
 French exhibitors, and it would be difficult at a very little 
 distance to tell the original from the imitation. Of course 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Paperhangings, 
 
 15 
 
 the idea of imitation is not an agreeable one, savouring of the 
 sham '' system, but, forgetting for a moment that any such 
 things as cretonne chintzes exist, there is no reason, I 
 consider, why the majority of these papers, when hung, 
 should produce any other than an agreeable effect. 
 
 The cretonne chintz patterns are generally of three classes, 
 ornaments relieved with light and shade en camaïeu in a bold 
 blotch ” style on a groimd of colour ; small figures and 
 ornaments generally engraved similarly relieved, but in a very 
 minute and hard style ; and bold, conventional flower deco¬ 
 rations, imitated, to a certain extent, from old Persian and 
 Oriental faience. The first of these styles may be tolerated 
 in paperhangings, although it cannot be denied that any 
 strong announcement of jour à gauche ox jour à droite is 
 extremely difficult to deal with in a room, the walls of 
 which may be lit from both right and left, or in which 
 the lighting by night may exactly reverse the lighting by 
 day. The second is not agreeable, but the third offers 
 little or no difficulty, the shading, if introduced at all, 
 being merely conventional and blending into modification 
 of local colours, and furnishes a new and really very elegant 
 style of paperhanging. The chief drawback to this is, that 
 the vivacity of the patterns is generally too great to allow 
 of the satisfactory exhibition of pictures when suspended 
 upon them, unless the pictures are upon a large scale, and 
 the vivid ornamentation either upon a comparatively very 
 small one, or when that vivid ornamentation is relieved 
 upon a full-toned ground, assimilating in vigour to the 
 general tone of the ornamentation. 
 
 It is singular that in these days, when such extraordinary 
 enthusiasm is shown, both for the study of ceramic art and 
 for the collection of beautiful specimens of it, the paper- 
 hangers should have only manifested a very limited incli¬ 
 nation to imitate styles of ornament which this study and 
 this rage for collection have made popular. Many of the 
 Oriental vases, the Persian dishes, the Moorish azulejos, 
 the majolica ^^tondi,” the old Nankin beakers, and the 
 various faiences’^ of different ages and countries, offer fresh 
 and lively motifs” for borders and diapers, and even for 
 complete wall decorations, in which the conventionalities 
 are most happily treated. They are, however, as yet to the 
 paperhanger almost virgin mines. So, too, much to my 
 astonishment, is the art of illumination. It is only neces¬ 
 sary for the student to go into the galleries of the history 
 of labour ” and look over a few of the contributions in the 
 shape of splendid manuscripts with miniatures, exhibited 
 by M. Firmin Didot, the Due d’ Aumale, M. Dutoit, and 
 
 Me. Dioby 
 Wyatt 
 ON Papeb- 
 UANaiNGS. 
 
 Clever imi¬ 
 tations of 
 Cretonne 
 chintz pat¬ 
 terns. 
 
 Suggestionfl 
 as to value 
 of decorative 
 models de¬ 
 rivable from 
 Ceramic art. 
 
 and illumi¬ 
 nated MSS 
 
16 
 
 Reporta on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Mb. DiasT 
 Wyatt 
 ON Papee- 
 HANQ-INGS. 
 
 French floral 
 
 paperhang- 
 
 ings. 
 
 Imperative 
 necessity of 
 the desig¬ 
 ner’s special 
 proficiency 
 in “ gou¬ 
 ache ” or 
 body colour 
 painting. 
 
 other distinguished collectors, to put himself into a position 
 to recognize the admirable sources of inspiration which they 
 supply for painted decorations of any kind or style. 
 
 The description of paper in which the French have long 
 enjoyed a supremacy over all other nations has been one 
 in which flowers, sketchily and delicately tinted in a highly 
 conventional manner, and yet one so contrived as to appear 
 free and without artifice or restriction, have played the 
 principal part. When the process of block-printing, by 
 means of which all the best class of paperhangings are pro¬ 
 duced, is considered, it will be of course obvious that each 
 colour must be printed separately, as in chromolithography ; 
 but with this essential difference, that, owing to the vehicle 
 (size and w^hiting) which must be used by the former process, 
 each colour or tint must stand or fall by its own separate 
 quality on a paperhanging. By the latter process, on the 
 contrary, with its oil and varnish vehicle, transparent colour 
 can be brought upon transparent colour, and all the effects 
 of glazing'^ in a picture can be obtained. This necessity^ 
 for each colour to tell its own tale,” without blending with 
 underlying tints, obviously limits the range of palette, by 
 which effects must be produced, and considerable skill and 
 experience are required to pre-determine vrhat shall be 
 the precise tints used, so that a limited number shall pro¬ 
 duce a fair approximation to natural pictorial represen¬ 
 tation. With such restrictions, to aim at the same powerful 
 rendering of imitative art which would be easy with even 
 the same number of mixed transparent and opaque pigments, 
 susceptible of gradation by dilution, would be obviously 
 ridiculous. The designer is therefore bound to adopt a 
 
 modified mode of blotch painting in a lowered key— i.e.^ one 
 in v/hich all the tones are made to agree amongst themselves, 
 although the whole pictorial result does not agree with the 
 luminous vivacity and variety which may characterise the 
 group of objects the designer may select for representation. 
 To form, or work in, these artificial or conventional scales 
 of colour successfully demands careful training and long 
 practice, and is not to be done by the most accomplished 
 artists without experience and special education. With us 
 this training and experience are as yet but little gone through 
 and accjuired, while in F rance there exists a traditional school 
 of what are called dessinateurs,” who find constant employ¬ 
 ment in making patterns in all sorts of keys and scales of 
 Suchprofi- colour for fac-simile reproduction by manufacturers. In 
 in^Engfand England as yet we have no corresponding class, and, although 
 in hi the schools of design the advanced pupils generally pick up 
 
 gome little dexterity in this direction, their practical training 
 
Mr, Digby Wyatt on Faperkangings, 
 
 17 
 
 is not to be compared with that which every apprentice in mh. digbt 
 the atelier of a professional ‘‘dessinateur’" acquires in Paris onV/p^ee- 
 or Lyons. The result of the two systems is manifested the 
 moment we attempt to trace out the authors of the chief 
 decorations in England and in France. In the former 
 country, the manufacturers of paperhangings in want of 
 anything beyond the simplest current goods have had to 
 address themselves to architects, or to persons who have 
 received an architectural education—as, for instance, Messrs. 
 
 Jelfries to Mr. Owen Jones (who is well known to have 
 some years ago revolutionised Messrs. Townsend and 
 Parker’s business) ; Messrs. H. Woollams to Mr. Robinson, 
 of Leamington, for mediæval papers, and to myself for their 
 Renaissance decoration in the present Exhibition ; Messrs. 
 
 J. Woollams to Mr. CoUman ; and I think, Messrs. Cook, 
 of Leeds, to Dr. Dresser. On the other hand, the manu¬ 
 facturers of the latter country (France) have procured all 
 their special designs from painters or “ dessinateurs,"" whose 
 chief, if not sole, business it is to make patterns for this 
 branch of trade—such as MM. Dumont, by whom the 
 great decoration of the Maison Balin (successors to the well- 
 known firm of Genoux of Paris) has been designed ; Wagner 
 (long the chief designer for the house of Defosse), who has so 
 successfully directed the productions of the great factory of 
 M. Zuber, at Rixheim; and Aidan, whose design for a 
 Pompeian paperhanging decoration in the gallery of industrial 
 drawings is in the highest degree meritorious. 
 
 In turning to the productions of other countries than those Russian 
 to which I have already alluded, we find that Vetter and Co., 
 of Warsaw, show some papers of poor execution, so far as 
 imitation of common French papers goes, but some of the 
 patterns, which are more or less founded on Moorish 
 examples, have a good effect of barbaric colour. The com¬ 
 pany of Camuret, of St. Petersburg, has some fairly- 
 executed imitations of common French papers. Two patterns, 
 with aneline dyed flocks, are effective, and have a certain 
 novelty of aspect. 
 
 In Austria the great house of Spoerlin and Zimmermann, Austrian, 
 of Vienna, make only a small exhibition, but at the same 
 time one quite large enough to vindicate their position as 
 extensive and good manufacturers. Their diaper, mainly on 
 a turquoise-blue ground, is very pretty, and in point of 
 liveliness of manufacture nothing need be better than their 
 flower-paper on a neutral ground. It is, I think, to be re¬ 
 gretted that this pattern was not printed on a white or light 
 yellow ground, in which case it would have presented the 
 aspect of an admirable hand-painted Chinese paper. While 
 20406.-26. B 
 
18 
 
 Reports on the Paris Exhibition. 
 
 Me. digbt commenting on the gay and cheerful fancy shown by Messrs. 
 o^APBE- Spoerlin and Zimmermann (who appear as the only German 
 gANGiiTGs. makers of paperhangings of any importance) in these speci¬ 
 mens, it is but right to dwell upon the wretched taste with 
 which their hangings have been mounted ; one in Gothic 
 oak panelling, imitated in paperhanging of the crudest and 
 most cutting chiaroscuro, and the other in a framework, one- 
 third Chinese, one-third Moresque, and the remaining third 
 in some indescribable style, agreeing with neither of the 
 Fancy other two. The small marbled and ornamented papeterie ” 
 Secomtîve^ of the house is too well known to need comment, as, indeed, 
 stationery, house of Kneppcr, also of Vienna. These 
 
 two manufacturers were also keen rivals in 1862 at London. 
 In such fancy papers, i.e., papers with artistic designs, the 
 Germans show much better than in the article of paper- 
 hangings, especially through several Bavarian houses, and 
 notably those of Haenle, of Munich, and Stern, of Furth. 
 Such fancy papers, which are also admirably made at Paris, 
 are much used for wrapping up sweetmeats, and in the 
 jour de l’an” offerings so universal on the Continent, the 
 value of the case or wrapper often exceeds that of the object 
 so elegantly enshrined. In England the fancy paper trade 
 is greatly sustained by the annual Valentine"’ fever, 
 which, though of short duration, consumes a very large 
 quantity of the most elaborate stationery made in any 
 country in Europe. The prevailing fashion, I might almost 
 call it rage, too, for monograms, embossed, illuminated,"’ 
 and especially eccentric,” both for use and for collection, 
 has also tended to the production of greatly improved 
 artistic designs for ornamenting letter paper. Unfortunately, 
 few of these were shown. The British section had also to 
 mourn the absence of Messrs. De la Eue, who on other 
 occasions have maintained, I believe, an undisputed ascen¬ 
 dency for England in every branch of this elegant form of 
 the application of art to industry. 
 
 Painted The painted blind trade has apparently suffered from the 
 
 blinds. great increase in the supply and concurrent reduction in 
 price of stained glass ; for many of those staircase or passage 
 windows which used to be covered with ornamental blinds, 
 which, however pretty while new, always looked shabby and 
 discoloured after a year or two’s wear, good and permanent 
 screens in glass are now put up, requiring no subsequent 
 attention or removal, and often presenting very agreeable 
 G^uaide- decorative effects. On looking over the specimens of 
 d^of the stores ” or painted blinds in the Exhibition, one cannot fail 
 to notice, firstly, that there are not so many as usual hereto¬ 
 fore ; and, secondly, that those which there are are not so 
 
Mr. Dighy Wyatt on Paperhangings. 
 
 19 
 
 good. The truth is that painted blinds have gone out of 
 fashion, and as there is little or nothing special in the 
 process of their manufacture success or failure entirely 
 depends upon the talent of the decorative painter who 
 ornaments them. If it pays to employ a first-class hand, the 
 screen is good, and if the decoration is left to a second-rate 
 one, it is poor, and simply repeats, in another form, the 
 current exaggerations and commonplaces of vulgar decora¬ 
 tion. Apparently the French have not thought it worth 
 while for this Exhibition to employ any of their most 
 dexterous talent, and thus it is that the German specimens, 
 except in flower painting, are rather better than the French. 
 The real and proper use for such blinds is to give a hasty 
 decoration only to a building erected for some temporary use, 
 as in fact they have been made to do in the British section, 
 in the large windows of the machinery department, where 
 they tell a good series of stories in a very clever way. 
 There is little to be regretted in the decline of a branch 
 of industry supplanted by one of greater excellence and 
 permanency. We may therefore, to a certain extent, bury 
 the painted blind business without many tears or much 
 lamentation. 
 
 A retrospective glance over what I have now written on 
 the products of Class 19 justifies my confidently asserting 
 that the balance of excellence hangs tolerably evenly between 
 France and England in this department. It may probably 
 incline in favour of the former country in so far as the 
 perfect execution of the most elaborate class of goods may 
 extend, but on account of the signs I recognize of present 
 healthy commercial economy of production, combined with 
 vigour, activity, and good taste at home, as well as abroad, 
 I entertain no fear for the immediate future of British 
 industry in this section. 
 
 Me. Digbt 
 Wyatt 
 0¥ Papbe- 
 
 HANGINGS. 
 
 In conclu¬ 
 sion the 
 author looks 
 hopefully 
 and cheer¬ 
 fully on the 
 state of the 
 paperhang¬ 
 ing manu¬ 
 facture in 
 England. 
 
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EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE DE 1867 
 
 A PARIS 
 
 HAPPOUTS DU JURY INTERNATIONAL 
 
 PUBLIÉS SOUS LA DIRECTION 
 
 DE IH. miCHËE CHEVALIER 
 
 OUVRAGES 
 
 DE 
 
 PAR 
 
 MM, JULES DIÉTERLE ET DIGBY WYATT 
 
 PARIS 
 
 IMPRIMERIE ET LIBRAIRIE ADMINISTRATIVES DE PAUL DUPONT 
 
 45, RUK DE GRENELLE-SAINT-HONORÉ, 45 
 
 1867 
 
OUVRAGES 
 
 Dlî TAPISSIER ET DE DÉCORATEUR 
 
 Les industries qui appartiennent aux classes 14 et 15 
 naissent de besoins identiques, suggèrent les mêmes ré¬ 
 flexions et s’enlacent si constamment dans leurs produits 
 qu’il est difficile de les séparer, et la plupart des considéra¬ 
 tions contenues dans le rapport qui précède s’appliquent éga¬ 
 lement à celui-ci. 
 
 Depuis longtemps, en France, la pensée qui protège les 
 arts, les sciences et les lettres, conserve avec sollicitude les 
 restes précieux de nos antiquités nationales, et les débris 
 des arts somptuaires sont recueillis religieusement dans les 
 ai'chives de l’État, les palais historiques, les musées de Paris 
 et de province. En Angleterre, s’est révélé un vif amour pour 
 les arts nationaux et étrangers du moyen âge ; il a donné 
 naissance à des collections déjà célèbres. En Allemagne et 
 dans les autres contrées du Nord, celte curiosité rétrospective 
 s’est développée avec moins de puissance; mais nous voyons 
 actuellement l’esprit public et les gouvernants s’en préoc¬ 
 cuper sérieusement. Dans une voie paràllèle, on s’est adonné 
 avec une recherche active à l’étude des procédés industriels 
 
et des arts de construction du moyen âge; les manuscrits 
 ont été compulsés, les œuvres étudiées, analysées, et de 
 nombreuses publications scientifiques et artistiques en ont été 
 le résultat. 
 
 Pour la première fois, l’Exposition de 1867 nous montre 
 dans un seul cadre, réunis aux produits modernes, ces 
 éléments de l’art, de la science et de l’industrie, prove¬ 
 nant de sources si nombreuses et si variées d’époque et de 
 nationalité. Ces éléments, joints aux ressources dont il a 
 été question dans les considérations du rapport sur la 
 classe 14, offrent à chaque peuple, dans l'avenir, des 
 forces égales et des avantages réciproques pour assurer 
 leur marche dans la voie du progrès. Il doit en résulter une 
 fusion presque accomplie dans le domaine de la science et de 
 l’industrie, et un éclectisme déjà sensible dans les classes qui 
 représentent les industries d’art. 
 
 Nous avons dit dans quelle mesure nous voudrions voir 
 s’établir cette communauté des progrès de la civilisation, 
 combien elle est féconde, salutaire pour la science, l’indus¬ 
 trie et le bien-être des peuples ; mais aussi, quel genre de 
 résistance il faut y apporter pour conserver la physionomie 
 des types nationaux et cette originalité qui fait aujourd’hui 
 encore la gloire de peuples disparus sous la couche des siècles, 
 et dont l’existence n’est connue que par les ruines de leurs 
 monuments et les débris de leurs arts. Nous nous bornerons 
 donc à marquer, par l’indication des œuvres les plus sail¬ 
 lantes, la situation actuelle des arts décoratifs de chaque na¬ 
 tion à l’Exposition de 1867. 
 
— 5 — 
 
 CHAPITRE I. 
 
 OUVRAGES DE TAPISSIER. 
 
 Par droit d’ancienneté, nous commencerons par l’Asie, qui 
 fut la mère des civilisations anciennes. Comme les artistes de 
 tous les temps et les souverains de l’antiquité et du moyen âge, 
 nous avons admiré les produits de l’art oriental, si splendides 
 autrefois, et qui restent encore un modèle de goût et d’élé¬ 
 gance. Ils offrent toujours une qualité difficilement atteinte 
 par les artistes de nos contrées. C’est, nous le répétons en¬ 
 core, une union parfaite du coloris et de la pureté des 
 formes, une pondération harmonieuse de toutes les parties de 
 l’œuvre. Ce qui est plus rare encore, cette fine fleur de la 
 beauté se révèle également dans les productions les plus or¬ 
 dinaires du travail et des matériaux, comme dans les œuvres 
 les plus somptueuses et les plus accomplies de la main 
 d’œuvre. Cette loi admirable de l’ordre, du rythme, si les 
 Grecs l’ont possédée au suprême degré dans les arts plas¬ 
 tiques, les Orientaux en sont les maîtres dans l’emploi de la 
 coloration. 
 
 L’espace nous manque pour détailler les collections des 
 Indes, de la Perse, de la Chine et du Japon ; mais, dans leur 
 étude, l’artiste, le fabricant, puiseront le secret du goût, de 
 l’harmonie et de la proportion. Comme nous, ils seront ravis 
 des ingénieuses combinaisons du tisserand indien, constellant, 
 avec tant de grâce, de fleurs et de palmettes aux ondoyantes 
 courbures, les magnifiques châles de Bénarès, les vaporeuses 
 mousselines de Dacca et les riches étoffes du Penjaub. Les 
 mêmes séductions se rencontrent dans les produits de la Perse, 
 dans ses superbes tapis et dans ses fines et délicieuses mo¬ 
 saïques. La Chine et le Japon possèdent le même privilège. 
 Quelle hardiesse de lignes dans ces oiseaux se becquetant sur 
 
- G — 
 
 de vieux troues, eomposaut la bizarre et gracieuse oriieuieu- 
 talion de ce coffre de Naugasaki; quelle perfection merveil¬ 
 leuse dans leurs boîtes laquées; quelle chaude splendeur de 
 tons dans toutes leurs soieries ! 
 
 Dans la fabrication orientale, chaque objet a une forme, 
 simple de galbe, exprimant parfaitement Tusage; jamais elle 
 n’est ambitieuse, jamais elle n’emprunte un contour, une 
 ornementation- étrangère à son origine, qu’elle résulte du 
 bronze, de la céramique, de l’émail ou du marbre. Nous ou¬ 
 blions facilement ces règles du bon sens; nous transformons 
 une œuvre faite pour le bronze en marbre, pour le marbre en 
 bronze, et, par exemple, le Paros transparent de la Vénus 
 de Milo en carton-pierre ou en ciment Coignet. On ne 
 saurait trop critiquer ces funestes habitudes de l’industrie 
 moderne, qui dénaturent déplorablement les plus belles 
 œuvres de l’art. 
 
 Revenant à notre'appréciation des œuvres industrielles et 
 artistiques de l’Orient, nous dirons encoj^e que la meme déli¬ 
 catesse de goût y distingue la peinture décorative. Le coloris 
 en est toujours riche, émaillé, harmonieux sur le vase, dans 
 le panneau, sur la faïence ou la fresque. La fleur s’élève saine 
 et élégante; le peintre rejette les raccourcis, les effets 
 d’ombre et de lumière, il cherche la pureté et l’éclat du ton; 
 en un mot, il décore et ne songe pas à produire le trompe- 
 l’œil du tableau. Sa flore, qui nous paraît conventionnelle, 
 donne une image plus complète de la richesse et de la fraî¬ 
 cheur de la création que nos imitations inintelligentes de 
 peinture. L’Exposition nous montre heureusement des témoi¬ 
 gnages de ladmiration qu’ils ont fait naître chez les artistes: 
 la France, l’Angleterre en offrent particulièrement de nom¬ 
 breux exemples, parmi lesquels nous citerons les belles pu¬ 
 blications de M. Owen Jones. 
 
 Après avoir rendu hommage à un art si sincère et si ex¬ 
 pressif, revenons aux nations dont la tendance manifeste est 
 de se fondre de plus en plus ou de ne conserver que des 
 
/ 
 
 nuances bien irrésolues , pour exprimer leur nationalité. 
 
 Presque tous les fabricants français de meubles, surtout 
 ceux qui ont donné à leur industrie le plus d’éclat, ont com¬ 
 pris qu’il y avait un grand avantage pour eux à joindre Tart 
 du tapissier à l’ameublement proprement dit. Nous retrouve¬ 
 rons en effet pour la France, parmi les tapissiers, une partie 
 notable des exposants de la haute ébénisterie. La France, 
 dans les produits de ces industries, grâce surtout à MM. Four- 
 dinois, Rondilon, Deville, Mazaros, Ribaillier et Lanneau, oc¬ 
 cupe le premier rang, pour la supériorité du goût et le nombre 
 des objets exposés. Des causes particulières nous donnent en 
 core dans ce concours de grands avantages. On comprend que 
 les travaux du tapissier, du décorateur s’expliquent et se jugent 
 difficilement en dehors de leur emplacement définitif, et sauf 
 les palais et les habitations orientales, les exposants étran¬ 
 gers n’ont pu donner des ensembles aussi complets que les 
 pavillons de l’Empereur et de l’Impératrice, les salles desti¬ 
 nées aux rois de Prusse et de Relgique étant de trop peu 
 d’importance pour donner la mesure de l’art décoratif de 
 ces contrées. 
 
 Dans le parc réservé, se trouvait le pavillon entièrement 
 édifié par M. Penon et dédié à Sa Majesté l’Impératrice: les 
 meubles, les sculptures, les peintures ont concouru à rendre 
 une idée gracieuse et très-réussie. M. Penon a bien rempli 
 son programme, en comprenant que, dans un espace aussi 
 restreint, il fallait s’adresser aux goûts délicats d’une auguste 
 personne, plus encore qu’à l’éclat de son rang. M. Duval, aidé 
 de l’industrie de nombreux fabricants, a décoré le pavillon de 
 l’Empereur ; la disposition générale de ce pavillon est agréa¬ 
 ble et ne manque pas d’élégance, mais rharmonie des colo¬ 
 rations et l’exécution de certains détails laissent beaucoup à 
 désirer. 
 
 Si nous continuons rapidement l’examen des memes pro¬ 
 duits dans les sections étrangères, nous citerons les lits en fer 
 de M. Kittschcl (de Vienne), jolis dans leur simplicité et 
 
— 8 — 
 
 garnis d’étotïes bien choisies. En Angleterre, l’usage de ces 
 meubles en métal est très-répandu, et l’Exposition nous en 
 montre de nombreux échantillons. Presque tous sont sur¬ 
 chargés de détails inutiles, d’un goût médiocre et contraire 
 à l’usage de ces objets, qui demandent beaucoup de légèreté 
 et une forme sobre. Nous ne comprenons pas le lit en métal 
 enrichi d’ornements coûteux. Son emploi nous semble ré¬ 
 servé pour le.s classes modestes ou les chambres à coucher 
 sans apparat. L’Italie en offre de meilleurs spécimens, dé¬ 
 gagés de ce luxe faux. La Suisse avait envové la garniture d’un 
 lit en satin bleu clair, brodée en paille, d’un effet agréable et 
 pouveau. 
 
 CHAPITRE IL 
 
 ^'EINTURE DÉCORATIVE, MARBRERIE, OBNEMEISTATIONS DIVERSES. 
 
 1. — Peinlure décorative. 
 
 L’exposition du Palais est pauvre d’œuvres de ce genre. 
 Cependant Paris possède d’habiles décorateurs; mais leurs 
 travaux font partie des palais, des hôtels, qui surgissent au¬ 
 jourd’hui dans notre capitale. L’absence de cet art, que les 
 grands maîtres ont illustré de leur talent, est regrettable. 
 Nous le considérons comme la clé de voûte des arts et des 
 industries décoratives, et il était désirable que l’on pût l’ap¬ 
 précier dans ses rapports avec les industries qui en sont le 
 dévéloppement naturel. 
 
 Malgré cette absence, nous pouvons affirmer que cette 
 branche de la classe 15 a fait de véritables progrès. Nous 
 s-omnaes loin toutefois des œuvres achevées de la renaissance 
 française et italienne, de l’ampleur des décorations de 
 Louis XIV, des ingénieuses et brillantes originalités des 
 peintres de la Régence et de Louis XV, et des œuvres délicates 
 
— 9 — 
 
 ties (Iccoraleiirs de Louis XVL Mais, relativement aux froides 
 productions de la première partie de ce siècle, il s’est fait 
 d’heureux et incontestables efforts; et de magnifiques restau¬ 
 rations exécutées sous la direction d’habiles architectes ont 
 servi à l’enseignement de nos artistes; des études sérieuses se 
 sont produites , et l’art décoratif en a reçu une vigoureuse 
 impulsion. 
 
 Parmi les étrangers , le professeur Cipolata a, d’une main 
 habile, décoré les arcades de la section italienne d’arabesques 
 empruntées aux loges du Vatican. Les peintures du temple 
 égyptien, exécutées par des artistes français, peuvent être 
 louées comme une imitation fidèle et intéressante des décora¬ 
 tions du grand art de l’Égypte. Un pavillon, dû à M. Georges 
 Diéterle, jeune architecte français, édifié pour exposer des 
 cachemires de finde, a été remarqué par d’habiles emprunts 
 Judicieusement inspirés des habitations indiennes. Le kiosque 
 du vice-roi d^Égypte, le palais tunisien, ont charmé les ar¬ 
 tistes et les gens du monde; mais leur mérite consiste moins 
 dans les détails intérieurs que dans les dispositions sveltes et 
 gracieuses de cette architecture orientale, qui exprime si par¬ 
 faitement le climat et les mœurs de ses habitants. Nous termi¬ 
 nerons par la maison dite ottomane, qui relève complètement 
 de l’art persan : c’est l’œuvre la plus parfaite que nous 
 offre cette section. Les admirables règles qui gouvernent l’art 
 oriental y trouvent leur démonstration achevée, et nous féli¬ 
 citons sincèrement l’auteur de ce remarquable travail, 
 M. Parvillé, artiste français. 
 
 § 2. — Marbrerie et pierres dures. 
 
 L’exposition la plus importante de cette partie de l’ameu- 
 hlement est certainement celle que nous offre M. Viot, expo¬ 
 sant français. Des torchères, des vases, des coupes de dimen¬ 
 sions considérables, en marbres variés, et surtout l'heureux 
 emploi des onyx de l’Algérie alliés aux métaux, fournissent 
 
 '2p 
 
— 10 — 
 
 des richesses décoratives liabileineiit développées par le crayon 
 de M. Cornu, et le beau talent du statuaire Carrier Belleuse. 
 M. Beurdeley exposait des produits peu nombreux, mais d’une 
 beauté de matière exceptionnelle. De belles pièces en por¬ 
 phyre, ornées de riches montures en bronze doré, des coupes, 
 des vases en cristal de roche, en jaspe, montés sur or émaillé 
 avec beaucoup d’art par M. Duron, distinguent spécialement 
 cette exposition. MM. Parfonry et Lemaire ont mérité la meme 
 distinction, en exposant une excellente cheminée en marbre 
 rouge et blanc, d’une bonne et sérieuse composition architec¬ 
 turale, et d’une sculpture où le ciseau se montre exercé et 
 brillant. Nous citerons encore, avec ces œuvres remarquables, 
 un autel en marbre blanc décoré de mosaïques en verre, par 
 M. Baud et Penel, les carrelages en stuc de M. Crapoix, et 
 les marbres de Bagnères-de-Bigorre comme étant les produits 
 d’une exploitation considérable. 
 
 En Belgique, l’exploitation et le travail des marbres consti¬ 
 tuent une industrie nationale d’une importance commerciale 
 très-grande Les colorations des marbres belges sont vigou¬ 
 reuses et riches de ton. Les vieux édifices civils et religieux 
 de ce pays montrent le bel emploi que les artistes flamands 
 en ont su tirer. La plupart des produits de l’exposition belge 
 n’ont pas le même avantage ; les formes en sont lourdes et 
 d’un goût médiocre; nous devons en excepter quelques che¬ 
 minées de MM. Melot, Louvencourt et Leclercq. 
 
 Dans la section anglaise, MM. Wedgood ont exposé une 
 œuvre de ce genre, en belle matière d’albâtre, décorée de pla¬ 
 ques de biscuit de porcelaine; le goût fin et sévère, qui à di¬ 
 rigé ce travail, fait honneur à cette célèbre et ancienne mai¬ 
 son. Nous avons encore remarqué, comme une qualité pré¬ 
 cieuse, quoique secondaire, le brillant poli donné au granit 
 par MM. Macdonald et Field d’Aberdeen. Ce résultat difficile 
 est apprécié en Angleterre, où cette dure matière est très-em¬ 
 ployée dans les constructions civiles. 
 
 La Russie nous présente des pierres dures d’une grande- 
 
il - 
 
 I)cauté, telles que la iiialaehite , la ehodonile, les jaspes, 
 dans divers eonipartiments parfaitement travaillés, 
 
 § 3. — Mosaïques. 
 
 L’établissement impérial de Peterhof a exposé une mosaï¬ 
 que d’une grande dimension, qui est le joyau de la scetion 
 russe. Le modèle de cette œuvre justement remarquée est du 
 professeur Neef; ce peintre distingué adonné aux personnages 
 de sa composition des attitudes et des expressions sincèrement 
 l'cligieuses. Les habiles mosaïstes qui ont exécuté ce modèle, 
 sontMM. Bourakin, MouraviewetGogofonow. Ces artistes, pour 
 la perfection du travail, sont les seuls rivaux, que l’Exposition 
 nous révèle, des célèbres copistesdes manufactures impériales 
 de tapisserie des Gobelins et de Beauvais. A ces louanges don¬ 
 nées avec unanimité, nous ferons une seule réserve qui s’a¬ 
 dresse à réminent auteur du modèle : dans les mosaïques, 
 ainsi que dans les peintures sur verre, les maîtres de ces arts 
 évitaient les grandes parties d’ombre et de claii’-obscur, 
 comme altérant la beauté du coloris et le caractère séraphique 
 si convenables aux décorations des églises. 
 
 En Italie, M. Salviati, de Venise, intéresse par une collection 
 complète de mosaïques offrant des types très-variés et d’autres, 
 objets remarquables que nous n’avons pas à juger. M. Sal¬ 
 viati est un heureux chercheur des industries d’art qui ont 
 illustré sa patrie. Ses imitations de Monreale, Saint-Marc et 
 Sainte-Sophie, sont très-recommandables ; le travail en est 
 large, hardi et décoratif. Il nous semble que cet art rempla¬ 
 cerait avec avantage les essais de fresque appliqués sans suc¬ 
 cès à l’extérieur de quelques-uns de nos édifices. 
 
 § 4. — Ameublement religieux. 
 
 L’art religieux, ou plutôt rameublement ecclésiastique, nous 
 a offert peu d’œuvres sérieuses à examiner, et cette branche, 
 dans la section française, ne paraît traitée, sauf quelques ex- 
 
ecptlons, que pai‘ des artistes seeondaiees (noils ne parlons ni 
 des vitraux, ni de l’orfèvrerie qui sont admirablement repré¬ 
 sentés, mais qui ne ressortissent pas de nos classes): nous re¬ 
 grettons cette insuffisance. Les églises ne devraient être dé¬ 
 corées, ameublées, que par fart le plus pur, le plus élevé ; 
 mieux vaudrait la plus grande simplicité que ces moulages co¬ 
 loriés, si vulgaires, si fâcheux pour la dignité du culte, et qui 
 ne sont que les produits d’une industrie purement commer¬ 
 ciale. Nous l’avons dit^ quelques exceptions, malheureuse¬ 
 ment rares^ doivent être faites à ce sévère jugement : ainsi 
 en faveur de l’autel déjà cité de MM. Baud et Penel, d’un 
 autre en pierre de M. Bonnet père, et des terres cuites de 
 jjme yve Debay. 
 
 En Angleterre, les constructions religieuses, par les éléments 
 que nous avons pu examiner, semblent être le sujet d’une 
 étude suivie avec passion; mais les meubles, les ornements 
 pour le service ecclésiastique, que nous a fait voir l’exposition 
 anglaise, sont d^un intérêt médiocre. Dans les sections belge 
 et hollandaisej cet art se maintient sans progrès sur les Expo¬ 
 sitions précédentes : MM. Goyers de Louvain, et Kuypers 
 d’Amsterdam, nous semblent les représentants les plus re¬ 
 commandables d'un art si digne du talent des meilleurs ar¬ 
 tistes. 
 
 5. — Carton-pierre. 
 
 L’emploi du carton-pierre, dans la décoration intérieure des 
 palais et maisons, s’est beaucoup développé, et cette fabrica¬ 
 tion compte de nombreux représentants à l’Exposition. M. De- 
 lapierre nous a donné le meilleur spécimen de cette industrie 
 dansuneparoi de salon» La disposition en est simple et élégante; 
 lesprofils des moulures sont étudiés avec soin, Fornementation, 
 ample et sagement est contenue dans ses limites ; l’aspect 
 général offre de la grandeur, et l’exécution est excellente. 
 Nous mentionnerons aussi les expositions de MM. Huber, Har- 
 doin, Rosetti et Baillif, et Jackson, de Londres,qui soutiennent 
 dignement la i*éputation de leurs maisons. 
 
§ (). — Miroiterie. 
 
 Les exposants français paraissent les maîtres de cette in¬ 
 dustrie par la richesse et la variété de leurs produits, rappe¬ 
 lant tous les travaux des anciennes miroiteries française et 
 italienne. M. Alexandre, par des glaces habilement encadrées 
 de bronze, de verre taillé, et surtout par son cadre en vieil ar¬ 
 gent qui est une œuvre d'art, nous a semblé occuper le pre¬ 
 mier rang. M. Chamouillet est encore un fabricant digne d'être 
 remarqué ; son exposition justifie bien la réputation de son an¬ 
 cienne et honorable maison. Parmi les étrangers, M. Polbmann, 
 de Belgique, mérite une mention exceptionnelle, pour une 
 console surmontée d’un grand cadre d’un style un peu lourd, 
 mais d'un grand effet. 
 
 CHAPITRE III. 
 
 GOINSIDÉRATIOINS GÉNÉRALES. 
 
 Après cet examen très-incomplet des œuvres exposées, si 
 nous cherchons à caractériser la physionomie des principales 
 nations concurrentes, nous trouverons, pour la France, une 
 recherche éclectique du beau à toutes les époques; une 
 facile divination des procédés anciens, une vive intelligence 
 chez l'ouvrier ; chez l’artiste, une invention remarquable, mal¬ 
 heureusement plus désireuse de déterminer la mode que 
 de créer un art national; un goût répandu, aimable, ingé¬ 
 nieux, des efforts considérables dans toutes les directions. II 
 est à regretter que ces efforts tendent de plus en plus à la 
 recherche du style néo-grec, qui ne peut être qu’une évolu¬ 
 tion passagère de nos artistes; et n’est pas appelé à créer un 
 art capable de caractériser notre époque. 
 
 L’Italie ressent encore la profonde influence qu’exerça le 
 cavalier Bernin dans cette contrée, et particulièrement à Rome : 
 
une certaine faconde, des formes exagérées, tourmentées, des 
 richesses mal réglées, particularisent sa production. Mais il lui 
 reste une main d’œuvre habile, une vitalité énergique, et la 
 nation qui compte dans la pléiade de ses immortels artistes, 
 les Donatello, les Ghiberti, les della Robbia, les Benvenuto, 
 saura retourner aux sources pures de l’art, et se souvenir de 
 Florence plus encore que de la Ville éternelle. 
 
 L’Angleterre se distingue par un grand essor dans les in¬ 
 dustries d’art. Son goût national pour les époques gothiques 
 et pour celle de la reine Élisabeth se conserve encore dans ses 
 meubles; elle semble, toutefois sous rinfluence des artistes fran¬ 
 çais qu’elle emploie, rechercher des types plus rapprochés des 
 temps actuels. Nous avons remarqué dans quelques œuvres 
 réussies, l’étude de la renaissance italienne, due aux travaux 
 de notre collègue M. Digby Wyatt au palais de Sydenham et 
 surtout à la direction de South-Rensington. Nous saisissons de 
 nouveau l’occasion de signaler l’influence heureuse produite 
 par celte magnifique création, subventionnée maintenant par 
 l’État. De même que nos manufactures impériales, ces établis¬ 
 sements, dégagés des préoccupations de l’intérêt privé, rendent 
 des services considérables à l’industrie, par la recherche cons- 
 tantede l’art appliqué à l’industrie dans ses dernières limites (1). 
 La Commission impériale a pensé avec justice que ces institu¬ 
 tions possédaient de trop grands avantages pour les admettre 
 k la participation des récompenses, et le Jury n’a pu que 
 donner des louanges à leurs beaux travaux si légitimement 
 admirés du public. 
 
 La Russie possède d’admirables matières propres à expri- 
 
 (l) La Suisse suit l’exemple de l’Angleterre, et a créé récemment à Zurich 
 un Institut Polytechnique, où des professeurs distingués enseignent les scien¬ 
 ces et les arts, dans toutes leurs branches d’application. M. Semper, l’un de 
 ces professeurs, célèbre par ses travaux d’érudition, et les monuments que 
 la Saxe doit à son talent, est l’architecte de l’Institut de Zurich , il a donné 
 dans la salle principale de cette construction, les preuves d’une élude accom¬ 
 plie des œuvres de la renaissance qui attestent son goût et sa science pro¬ 
 fonde. 
 
mer la richesse de son origine asiati(ine, et dont le caractère 
 dans les arts pourrait offrir d’Iicnrenses inspirations à son 
 industrie, mais elle parait l’oublier volontairement, et recher¬ 
 che exclusivement dans rameublernent le goût français, qui 
 s’étiole rapidement dans la fabrication russe comme une 
 plante transportée en dehors de son climat. La Prusse pour¬ 
 suit depuis longtemps une appropriation des arts classiques à 
 son industrie artistique; sauf quelques exceptions remarqua¬ 
 bles, dans les arts de la métallurgie, scs efforts ont paru 
 stériles, principalement pour rameublcînent ; il ne nous sem¬ 
 ble pas qu’ils soient dans le génie progressif de ce peuple. 
 Les autres contrées allemandes n’ont rien qui les particularise. 
 En étudiant l’art de leur pays dans le passé, chez les Albert 
 Durer et les sculpteurs de Nüremberg, l’Allemagne trouverait 
 plus judicieusement l’expression de sa belle intelligence. Nous 
 avons signalé déjà les louables tendances du Danemark pour 
 conserver un cachet national. L’Espagne, le Portugal n’of¬ 
 frent une apparence d’originalité que dans les fabrications 
 imdimentaires, et dans celles d’ob}ets d’un usage vulgaire. 
 Cette remarque s’applique à toutes les nations de second ordi'c : 
 chaque fois qu’elles fabriquent pour les classes fortunées, 
 elles empruntent à Paris le goût, la forme de leurs produits. 
 
 Nous ne terminerons pas ce rapport sans exprimer une ré¬ 
 flexion qui nous paraît convenablement placée en présence de 
 l’Exposition des arts et de l’industrie, et qui ne doit pas être 
 perdue de vue par les artistes industriels. L’industrie est mère 
 de l’art, qui lui donne à son tour son éclat et sa beauté. L’art 
 naît des premiers besoins de rbomme, dans les assises même 
 du travail. L’artiste industriel ne doit pas l’oublier : qu’il visite 
 les musées, étudie l’art pur, auquel il doit un culte constant, 
 qu’il y cherche l’inspiration, la loi, la règle de la beauté éter¬ 
 nelle; mais qu’il la féconde dans l’usine, dans l’atelier, par 
 l’étude des procédés du travail, et dans cette voie nouvelle, 
 où l’industrie française est vigoureusement entrée, nous met¬ 
 tons nos meilleures espérances. 
 
— 16 — 
 
 Oil a (lit des époques où rareliitecture, la peinture et la 
 sculpture florissaient, qu’elles avaient été les plus fécondes 
 pour les industries artistiques. Nous reconnaissons la justesse 
 de cette remarque, et il est certain que, quand la décadence se 
 manifeste dans les sphères élevées de l’art, le niveau du goût 
 baisse rapidement dans toutes les productions dont il s’inspire. 
 Mais une époque peut produire de très-grands artistes, et se 
 trouver stérile dans les œuvres de Tart industriel. Le com¬ 
 mencement de notre siècle nous en montre un exemple in¬ 
 contestable. 
 
 Certes, on peut affirmer que, depuis Lesueur, Lebrun et 
 le Poussin, l’Ecole française n’avait pas eu d’artistes aussi 
 considérables que ceux que notre génération a vus mourir, 
 et cependant les mêmes années qui ont été témoins de leur 
 gloire, sont d’une véritable pauvreté pour les industries d’art* 
 Cet oubli de la grâce, ce manque de la maestria qui régnaient 
 encore dans l’art facile et secondaire de Louis XV et de 
 Louis XVI, cette absence de bon sens et de toute facture ha¬ 
 bile, dans un temps où fleurissaient de grands artistes, est 
 contraire à tous les enseignements de l’bistoire. Nous voudrions 
 en rechercher la cause, comme un sujet d’étude instructif 
 pour notre industrie.Cette cause doit être attribuée, selon nous, 
 à la disparition de l’artiste industriel à l’époque dont nous 
 parlons. 
 
 Au commencement de ce siècle, le fabricant qui désirait se 
 distinguer, donner un renom à sa maison, s’adressait à des 
 talents souvent d’une grande et légitime renommée, mais qui 
 ignoraient les conditions du travail industriel, nées du nouvel 
 état progressif de la science appliquée à la fabrication. Ces ar¬ 
 tistes, architectes et peintres, absorbés par l’étude des époques 
 classiques, en reproduisaient les formes pour des objets des¬ 
 tinés à l’usage d’une civilisation toute moderne, dédaignant la 
 différence profonde qui existe entre notre climat, nos mœurs, 
 nos besoins, et ceux de ces sociétés disparues depuis des 
 siècles. Du concours de ces maîtres éminents résultats une 
 
17 ~ 
 
 autre erreur: Tapplication directe à l’industrie du grand 
 art et particulièrement des règles de rarchitecturc. Le 
 meuble, la pendule prenaient sous leur crayon des formes 
 monumentales; le fauteuil devenait une chaise curule; le 
 vase, un tableau ; une table, un cadre pour le portrait des 
 maréchaux de l’empire; un service de table, une série de vues 
 de villes, de paysages historiques; le tapis se composait comme 
 un plafond, et le lit du vainqueur de Marengo s’ornementait 
 des casques d’Hector, d’Achille et des trophées de Méléagre. 
 Cet art s’emparait complètement de l’ameublement et le dé¬ 
 corait de griffons, de cariatides égyptiennes, de frontons grecs; 
 il envahissait les produits de l’ébénisterie. Ces froides et faus¬ 
 ses applications détruisirent complètement la souplesse et la 
 vie de Tart français. Cette absence de goût se maintint jusqu’à 
 l’époque du réveil des études historiques, où des recherches 
 correspondantes dans l’art amenèrent l’étude du style qui a 
 doté la France de ses admirables édifices religieux, la mode 
 des ameublements à forme ogivale remplaça les formes grec¬ 
 ques et romaines. Cette évolution eut un heureux résultat ; un 
 certain nombre d’architectes distingués descendirent des hau¬ 
 teurs de leur art classique, se firent dessinateurs ecclésiolo- 
 gues, étudièrent les meubles, les étoffes, la serrurerie du 
 moyen âge, et produisirent des œuvres intéressantes, mais inap¬ 
 plicables à nos usages modernes. Par une pente naturelle de 
 l’esprit, du moyen âge on fut conduit à étudier la Renaissance, 
 et successivement les époques plus rapprochées de notre temps. 
 
 L’artiste et le fabricant durent à ces recherches la décou¬ 
 verte de trésors connus seulement de l’antiquaire. Un homme 
 de goût et de grand savoir, M. Du Sommerard, créa le musée 
 de Cluny, une des collections les plus célèbres de l’Europe ; 
 l’ameublement français du xiii^ au xvii® siècle fut étudié avec 
 passion ; on connut le mérite et la beauté des œuvres de ces 
 imagiers, verriers, tailleurs de pierre, sculpteurs sur bois, 
 jusqu’alors dédaignés; on comprit combien ces artisans étaient 
 logiques dans leur judicieux emploi des matériaux ; on apprit 
 
18 -- 
 
 la r.iisoii de hidi\isi()u des panneaux d’niie boisceie, d’nii 
 meuble par la largeur donnée du ehéiie, du noyer; on s’nppli- 
 ([ua à adapter la forme à la matière, en donnant aux moulures 
 raccentuation, le profil le pins propre h faire valoir la beauté 
 de la fibre du bois,du grain et du poli du marbre, en un mot, 
 les diverses qualités des diverses matières. On reconnut fingé- 
 nieux caractère de rornementatiori des objets enfer, exigé par 
 le travail du.marteau; Ton s’aperçut que le dessin d’une étoffe 
 consistait moins dans le trait, dans le modelé de l’ornement ou 
 de la (leur, que dans les colorations déterminant les formes 
 expressives des contours généraux. 
 
 Grâce à ces études nombreuses, secondaires pour la science 
 du peintre et de farcliitecte, le dessinateur industriel se forma. 
 Dans un rang modeste, il contribua utilement à la diffusion, 
 au développement de l’art qui, du sommet élevé où il satisfait 
 les plus nobles et les plus délicates aspirations de l’esprit, vient, 
 par des ramifications se divisant à l’infini, embellir les palais 
 des rois, l’intérieur de nos habitations, et descend jusqu’aux 
 objets les plus usuels de la vie journalière. 
 
 Les fabricants ont senti combien ces hommes étaient d’indis¬ 
 pensables coopérateurs ; ils ont reconnu le profit économique 
 et artistique résultant de leur adjonction, en les attachant â 
 leurs maisons. Les dessinateurs, les sculpteurs, les peintres 
 ont trouvé dans cette branche de l’art des carrières lucratives, 
 leur procurant même des récompenses honorifiques, qui at¬ 
 testaient leur mérite et leurs services. Ils entrèrent dans la vie 
 de f atelier et complétèrent la science de leur art par l’habileté 
 de l’ouvrier, que donnent une constante pratique et le manie¬ 
 ment journalier de l’outil. Les avantages de cette association 
 se manifestèrent rapidement. L’Angleterre suivit notre exem¬ 
 ple, et les expositions internationales ont donné des témoigna¬ 
 ges éclatants de cette nouvelle et salutaire direction. 
 
 Qu’on ne le perde pas de vue, c’est toute une industrie nou¬ 
 velle, c'est tout un art nouveau quia été ressuscité; source de 
 prospérité et d’honneur pour la France, qui occupe le pre- 
 
h) — 
 
 inier rang danscetle application do rinlelligcnce cl du travail. 
 Gctte résurrection véritable, on la doit à cette classe d'artistes 
 qui sont à la fois des artistes et des ouvriers. L’aperçu, qu(‘ 
 nous avons cherché à donner, de riiistoire des progrès de 
 l’art industriel dans ces dernières années, le prouve : ce ne 
 sont pas les maîtres du grand art qui peuvent suffisamment 
 adapter les arts aux produits de f industrie ; leur i)lace est 
 ailleurs, elle est plus haut (1); c’est à d’autres, c’est à des ar¬ 
 tistes artisans^ si nous pouvons ainsi parler, qu’il faut demander 
 cette application de l’art. 
 
 Dans notre rapport sur la claSse 14, nous avons eu occasion 
 d’indiquer quelques mesures à prendre pour instruire et en 
 courager les artistes industriels et les hommes de métier eji 
 général. Nous ne reviendrons pas sur ces indications; nous 
 ajouterons seulement une réflexion. Le régime des corpora¬ 
 tions et des maîtrises, à côté d’inconvénients graves qui l’ont 
 fait juger, présentait certains avantages ; il offrait aux artisans, 
 dans chaque métier, un enseignement technique et des tradi¬ 
 tions. Mais il n’est pas nécessaire de rétablir les jurandes et 
 les maîtrises pour retrouver ces avantages. 
 
 Le travail libre, si supérieur sous tous les autres rapports, 
 ne doit pas être un désavantage pour l’éducation des artistes 
 et la perfection des produits. La division du travail, ce levier 
 si puissant de l’industrie, rétrécd, en le spécialisant à l’excès, 
 l’esprit de l’artiste industriel. Les musées, les écoles que 
 nous avons proposé d’ouvrir, lui permettront de comprendre 
 l’ensemble des objets dont il fabrique une partie seulement. 
 Cette vue plus générale élargira son esprit, développera 
 en lui le génie d’invention et lui donnera le désir et la 
 possibilité d’élever sa condition. 
 
 0) Personne n’ignore que de grands artistes ont illustré l’industrie par des 
 œuvres restées célèbres. Mais loin d’être infirmée, notre opinion est fortifiée 
 par ces exemples. Les grands artistes qui nous* les offrent appartiennent 
 surtout à la Pœnaissance : or, on sait qu'à cette époque les grands maîtres 
 se mêlaient aux artisans et acquéraient, au milieu d’eux, la connaissance des 
 métiers. Les choses ont changé : le grand art, et l’art industriel, n’ont plus 
 ces constants rapports. 
 
— 20 — 
 
 Nous sommes sûrs que les hommes à qui sont remis d’aussi 
 grands intérêts, et qui ont souci de la prospérité de la France, 
 ne laisseront pas tarir ces sources abondantes de travail, de 
 richesse et de gloire.