Art in the house : historical, critical, and aesthetical studies on the decoration and furnishing of the dwelling

Front matter

IN THE HOUSE

DR.J.VONFALKE.

C.C. PERKINS.

Preface

EFERRING the reader to the Introduc- what tws work tion, the author has but a few remarks to make by way of preface to the following work. The first ^is, that, like his “ History of Modern Taste,” it consists of lectures, which, with the exception of the last, were delivered almost as they stand, at the Austrian Museum of Art and Industry. This circumstance, which must be taken into consideration, has not been without a certain influence upon the book. It were useless to deny — what these pages often betray — that they were written for a special purpose. They are not simply historical sketches, nor do they aim only at explaining and working out ideas in the abstract. They have a practical object. This is to show how beauty and msthetic charm can be given to the house, and how, through the medium of artistic harmony, a feeling of comfort, peace, and pleasure may be generated within its four walls. This book is therefore addressed, not only to the artist and the decorator, or to whoever else it may practically concern, but more especially to those who have to select and to direct, with the object of adorning their dwellings artistically, and in good taste. To such it maybe in some sort an aesthetic home manual, adviser, and assistant.

That this end has not been wholly unfulfilled is proved by the rapidity with which a second and a third edition have been called for. With the exception of the Dedication, the xxiv

Dedication to Charles XV., King of Sweden.

PREFACE.

three are almost identical in form and substance. The first edition was honored by the name of a sovereign, who, amid the pomp of royalty and the splendor of a throne, had succeeded, in making a truly artistic and poetic home for himself in his beloved Ulriksdal, than which none could be more in harmony with the spirit of this book. Since then, Charles XV. of Sweden has died in the prime of manhood, deeply mourned by all who, having had the happiness to approach him closely, had learned to appreciate and admire in him the rare union of distinguished talent, a most winning and noble disposition, and a culture at once deep and broad, with a singular freedom from prejudice, and great independence of thought. May this third edition serve to keep his memory alive.

Introduction

N BUT too many cases the adornment of the dwelling is regarded as of secondary importance even by those who are not exclusively devoted to the material side of life, and who in other intellectual matters fully appreciate the advantages of modern culture. It also happens that, for want of individual knowledge, even those who mean well commit the arrangement and adornment of their dwellings, for better or worse, to the tradesman, with the feeling that he will best understand what ought to be done. And yet, even under the most favorable circumstances, he does and can do little else than follow the dictates of fashion. We regret this state of things the more when we consider what an important part house and home play in our lives ; how much their beauty can add to the pleasures of existence ; and how the mere helping to produce such beauty is in itself a source of positive delight, since even if we are only called upon to exercise judgment in selecting materials, we are doing artists’ work, which brings with it a real enjoyment. Ought we not to strive all the more to adorn this microcosm in which we live, because it is usually the only little world in which we are really lord and master, although, alas! but too often with strictly constitutional limitations ? Should we not deem it worth while so to decorate, arrange, and furnish it that it may harmonize perfectly with our own needs and feelings ; that like a more ample gar-

Frequent indifference to xsthetic requirements.

Why this is to be regretted.

XXVI

INTRODUCTION.

Want of knowledge.

The two ways to acquire it.

Summary of contents.

ment its aesthetic character may fit our spirit and being, as our clothes do the body }

The present uncertainty of judgment in the wide field of taste makes this a hard thing to do. If, on the one hand, a really assured and cultivated taste — that is, the ability to distinguish the truly good and beautiful from the ugly and objectionable— is precisely the thing only too generally wanting, on the other, the materials for domestic furnishing and decoration which are offered to our choice are in most cases unsatisfactory and distasteful. The intelligent judgment must turn away in despair from many places because it fails to find what it seeks. These are evils which the explanations given and discussions carried on in this work may help to remove. If we would substitute a clear and critical comprehension for a vague feeling, and timid, hesitating choice, we must be able to answer the inquiries which the need of an sesthetic element in our houses puts to us daily ; we must acquaint ourselves thoroughly with the matter, and, through knowledge of it, awaken an ever-increasing interest in it. To this end there are two roads. One may make one’s self intimately acquainted with a given subject by following up its history, and thus ascertain how present conditions were induced ; or one may examine existing conditions in surrounding objects, and apply to them those various methods of criticism which will tell us what is right and what is wrong, what may be allowed and what must be rejected. In the following pages both methods have been tried, — first the historical, and then the critical, — with the belief that perfect mastery of a subject can only be acquired by combining the two.

The first four sections are devoted to an historical review. This is little enough, considering the richness and scope of the subject. The aim of this essay being practical, it did not seem necessary to extend our researches into the remotest times. Epochs when art was in its perfection and flower being of more vital importance to the present time, as material for study and imitation, seem to us more significant and interesting than first attempts and imperfect stages of develop-

INTRODUCTION.

ment. We shall, therefore, begin our first section with a sketch of the Greco-Roman house.

The five ensuing sections, which form the second or critical portion of our essay, treat of the universal conditions and essential parts of the house, namely, the floor, the walls, and the ceiling, as also of furniture and those household utensils which serve to decorate the table. This we consider to be the most important portion of the work. The tenth chapter seems to have a less close connection with the rest, and was, in fact, delivered as an independent lecture in a different place ; but, treating as it does of woman’s responsibility in the adornment of the house, as well as of that peculiarly domestic art, embroidery, with especial reference to decoration, it forms a legitimate part of the contents. It is an important supplement to the rest, and has been introduced here as a suitable conclusion.

xxvii

Connection of the last chapter with the subject treated.

Chapter I. The Greco-roman House

MITTING any considera’tion of those beginnings and attempts at artistic arrangement and decoration of the house which have no immediate bearing upon the present time, we shall begin our historical survey with a description of the Greco-Roman house.

At the outset we have two observations to make. The first of these is, that we intend to consider the house neither constructively nor architecturally, but as a dwelling-place, that is to say, in all that relates to its internal adornment and arrangement. As, however, the decoration and fitting up of the rooms are often essentially dependent upon the construction of the house and upon its divisions, and were more especially so in the antique dwelling, these latter points must not remain altogether unconsidered.

Our second observation is, that in speaking of the Greco- Roman house we do not intend to imply that Greek and Roman houses were absolutely identical, for it is well known that they differed in arrangement.' On the other hand, it is

Chapter I.

The house considered only as a dwelling-place.

• The reader who is curious about this I mann’s edition of Becker’s Charikles and matter will find it fully discussed in Her- | in the same author’s Callus edited by

ART IN THE HOUSE.