Page 47 - The Studio First Edition - April 1893

Architectural Notes

ARCHITECTURAL NOTES. Leonard Stokes, whe condemned this material on
the plea that it was " mud," or words to that
I HAD hoped that the extremely profitless dis- effect. So are bricks mud, but when you can't get
cussion as to the proper scope of the Royal marble bricks are a fairly good material even for
Institute of British Architects had been allowed to the artist-architect. Rough-cast is nearer akin to
lapse for want of further controversial material. mud than even terra-cotta, but I have seen a
We have before us, however, thanks to recent house designed by clever Mr. Voysey in which
action on the part of that Institution, the dreary even rough-cast had a touch of dignity imparted
prospect of a revival of the letters to the trade to it.
After all their wholesale denunciations
journals, the frantic appeals to a public which of any particular material are apt to be boome-
recks not whether a man calls himself an artist or rangs. It isn't so much what you use as how you
a professional man so long as he builds decent use it.
homes and reasonably avoids extras, and perhaps Mr. John P. Seddon wants to know why a
even, though this were a fate too acutely appalling, Museum of Casts, akin to that at the Trocadero,
the publication of a second edition of Mr. should not be " erected as a basement to the
Jackson's composite volume. What the Council proposed Tate Picture-gallery ? " If Mr. Tate and
have done is to recommend the making of a the Government combined have any wild and
" declaration " on the part of the Institute, which irrepressible yearning for what would probably
runs as follows : eventuate as a Chamber of Horrors of this nature,
"Declaration of the Royal Institute under its there is nothing morally iniquitous about the pro-
Charter.—On and after the 1st of January, 1896, position, but why should Mr. John P. Seddon, in
subject to the power reserved to the Council in making it, go out of his way to announce with ex
section 3 of the Charter, every person desiring to cathedra sonorousness that " English architectural
be admitted a Fellow shall be required to have detail is superior to Continental." It is the hide-
passed such examination or examinations as may, bound insularity to which this points that con-
from time to time, be directed by the Royal stitutes the chiefest rock ahead to English
HORACE TOWNSEND.
Institute." architecture of to-day.
In view of the fact that by regulation in time to
come, every possible Fellow must have passed The trees in wrought metal gilded, which, by
certain examinations in order to attain to that kind permission of Messrs. Essex & Co., we re-
modified state of grace wherein he is known as an produce from a drawing by the artist, Mr. C. F.
Associate, and must before attaining the higher Voysey, whose design and handiwork they are, form
degree have submitted drawings and photographs somewhat novel decorations, that help to fill the
of his executed work to the Council, the new space above a beam, and are backed only by the
" declaration " seems somewhat vapid. It leaves shadow of the room behind them. Without being
no room, in reality, for raising anew the " exami- unduly prominent they are the most noticeable
nation or no examination " question, and so far feature in Messrs. Essex's show-rooms, and will
as I can perceive, its sole claim to consideration probably be imitated in many schemes of decoration
is that the editor of the leading trade journal de- where some grille is desired without the effect of
cries it. an actual partition such as lattice-work, or stained
The only other interesting professional (or shall glass gives. In iron, with the foliage in lead, solid
I say artistic ?) question of the month has been the gilt, they have a singularly light and graceful ap-
discussion on terra cotta started by some rather pearance, the softer metal being legitimate enough
random utterances of my great friend, Mr. in a position removed from any chance injury.

GRILLE FOR MESSRS. ESSEX AND CO.' S WALL-PAPER SHOW-ROOMS. DESIGNED BY C. F. A. VOYSEY
37