APtS
EXHIDItIoH O
and Crafts at Coloene
Shows Germany's
Definite and Racially
Expressive Style of
Modern Decorative
Art.
country has more use for
peace than Germany. The
d V action of the Government in
plunging the people into war
will have cruel results in the paraly¬
sis of all those arts of peace which
have been assiduously cultivated by
Young Germany during the past
twenty vears.
The work of German craftsmen has
shown extraordinary vitality, an
abundance, perhaps a superabun¬
dance of energy, and the application
of vigorous intelligence. With twenty
more years of commercial prosperity
and ease of mind, the ideas that have
been struggling into form would nave
had a fair chance to establish an
aesthetic standard for a long future.
Under the present conditions at least
one generation of originating theught
will be wasted and worse than wasted,
turned into channels of destructive
instead of constructive activity.
At Celerne thie Summer an arhibl¬
tion of all the arts and crafts un
Tevery part of the country was opened
after a year of arduous preparation.
Forty-eight architects were sum¬
moned to the construction of the ex¬
hibition bulldings, which wear an
aspect of solidity and permanence
seldom found in places of similar aim.
The walls are of concrete and brick,
the grounds are planted with hardy
perennials, the shops of the Laden¬
strasse, nonc too successfully demon¬
strating Futurist notions of window
diecoration, are planned for extensive
comimerce, not for transient bick¬
ering.
The exhibition throughout accents
the spirit that has made German dec¬
oration something to reckon with in
recent years. Whatever one’s per¬
sonal predilection, and an American
predilection seldom is in favor of the
ponderous German taste, it must be
granted that Germany has developed
a consistent, definite, and rücially ex¬
pressive modern style in decorative
art. The immense Haupthalle, ded¬
icated to examnples of this style as it
has been modlfied and varled in dif¬
ferent regions, shows nothing so clear¬
Iy as its essential unity. In the art
of church, synagogue, home, garden,
theatre, hotel, and Kurhaus the best
and most impressive qualitv is vital¬
fity. Even the steamships, citadels of
tradition in the matter of decoration,
have begun to recognize the existence
of a modern style belonging exclu¬
sively to Germany. One of the feat¬
ures of the exhibition is a room re¬
producing one of the social rooms in
the new Bismarck, without a trace
of foreign influence in its furnishings
and ornament.
Apparently everything was favor¬
able for the development of that
sound authentie culture possible only
under advantageons social and indus¬
trial conditions, and at one blow this
happy energy of work and play is
stricken and replaced by the galvanie
motions of war. Nothing could be
more unfortunate forthe German
people unless it should result in a
reformed ideal of government and a
more artistic relation between civili¬
N
*
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Scane from Schitzlors
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tha Manichetturr
Neatre-Prin Gogne Labtia
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WAMR
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8230
u
4#
een
Pre esesage Agen
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g
geeee
K
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Horise at tha Ex-
Colog#a
S
-aubitton.
S
consider a few of the many signifi¬
S
R
cant features of the Cologne exhibi¬
85300
N
tion humming like a beehive under
the hot sun of this July as it shone
on Germany, and now no doubt de¬
serted by native and foreign visitors
alike.
The work in glass, for one thing,
is quite unusual and successful. The
use of this material for architectural
purposes is illustrated in a house
built entirely of glass, and the dwell¬
ers therein are safe enough in throw¬
ing critical stones. The opaque walls,
punctuated by brilliant windows, the
rich tiling, the little court with#its
cascade flowing over glass terraces,
form a bullding not less attractive
than novel, opening a field for the
use of the material, not only for
Saeme fvom Macterlincks“ Deathz of
pleasure houses, but in buildings con¬
Mavionetten Thechte n
at the
structed for the cure of certain dis¬
eehiittonz.
eases by means of sunlight.
In the more restricted field of
stained glass, the artist, Thorn Prik¬
tive group of a
ally swelling tide from the irresponsi¬
ker, has achieved a triumph recog¬
Besnard, Denis,
ble joy and caprice of childhood,
nized in many ccuntries besides his
Monet, Rodin,
throughiconflict to passion, dropping
own. The windows recently made by
among them.
finallysto the synthetic peace that
him for a Rhenish church have been
expeditions of
holds the impression of all emotions
placed in a chapel especially con¬
Velde, who sha
that have gone toward its consum¬
structed for them on the exhibltion
craftsmanship a
mation. The different windows of
by the infliience
grounds, and justify the trouble taken
the series are a part of one scheme
When Thorn¬
to give them an appropriate setting.
not only in linear compesition büt in
ing windows ho
In the dimness of the little building
color, each being an essential element
of considering th
waves of color pour from the win¬
In the general effect.
in glass. The 0
dows as waves of sound from an
Thorn-Prikker was born at The
a water-Color sk
organ, in stately and magnificent
Hague in 1870, After a fruitful ex¬
inen in the wol
harmonies. The schemne of color is
perience In art education in his own
tending toward
2-eined emo¬
country and in Belgium, he established
Poterig!
5
EXHIDItIoH O
and Crafts at Coloene
Shows Germany's
Definite and Racially
Expressive Style of
Modern Decorative
Art.
country has more use for
peace than Germany. The
d V action of the Government in
plunging the people into war
will have cruel results in the paraly¬
sis of all those arts of peace which
have been assiduously cultivated by
Young Germany during the past
twenty vears.
The work of German craftsmen has
shown extraordinary vitality, an
abundance, perhaps a superabun¬
dance of energy, and the application
of vigorous intelligence. With twenty
more years of commercial prosperity
and ease of mind, the ideas that have
been struggling into form would nave
had a fair chance to establish an
aesthetic standard for a long future.
Under the present conditions at least
one generation of originating theught
will be wasted and worse than wasted,
turned into channels of destructive
instead of constructive activity.
At Celerne thie Summer an arhibl¬
tion of all the arts and crafts un
Tevery part of the country was opened
after a year of arduous preparation.
Forty-eight architects were sum¬
moned to the construction of the ex¬
hibition bulldings, which wear an
aspect of solidity and permanence
seldom found in places of similar aim.
The walls are of concrete and brick,
the grounds are planted with hardy
perennials, the shops of the Laden¬
strasse, nonc too successfully demon¬
strating Futurist notions of window
diecoration, are planned for extensive
comimerce, not for transient bick¬
ering.
The exhibition throughout accents
the spirit that has made German dec¬
oration something to reckon with in
recent years. Whatever one’s per¬
sonal predilection, and an American
predilection seldom is in favor of the
ponderous German taste, it must be
granted that Germany has developed
a consistent, definite, and rücially ex¬
pressive modern style in decorative
art. The immense Haupthalle, ded¬
icated to examnples of this style as it
has been modlfied and varled in dif¬
ferent regions, shows nothing so clear¬
Iy as its essential unity. In the art
of church, synagogue, home, garden,
theatre, hotel, and Kurhaus the best
and most impressive qualitv is vital¬
fity. Even the steamships, citadels of
tradition in the matter of decoration,
have begun to recognize the existence
of a modern style belonging exclu¬
sively to Germany. One of the feat¬
ures of the exhibition is a room re¬
producing one of the social rooms in
the new Bismarck, without a trace
of foreign influence in its furnishings
and ornament.
Apparently everything was favor¬
able for the development of that
sound authentie culture possible only
under advantageons social and indus¬
trial conditions, and at one blow this
happy energy of work and play is
stricken and replaced by the galvanie
motions of war. Nothing could be
more unfortunate forthe German
people unless it should result in a
reformed ideal of government and a
more artistic relation between civili¬
N
*
293
*
6
8
B
A
W
8#
8
*
S
*
8
8
d
2#
8
280
8500
8
540
r
*
E
4 20
8
en
8130
P
8
8
d#
S
S
Der¬
Scane from Schitzlors
an Sasiat
tha Manichetturr
Neatre-Prin Gogne Labtia
S
7 . 3 3
WAMR
S
8230
u
4#
een
Pre esesage Agen
de mersestehhe
g
geeee
K
W
Horise at tha Ex-
Colog#a
S
-aubitton.
S
consider a few of the many signifi¬
S
R
cant features of the Cologne exhibi¬
85300
N
tion humming like a beehive under
the hot sun of this July as it shone
on Germany, and now no doubt de¬
serted by native and foreign visitors
alike.
The work in glass, for one thing,
is quite unusual and successful. The
use of this material for architectural
purposes is illustrated in a house
built entirely of glass, and the dwell¬
ers therein are safe enough in throw¬
ing critical stones. The opaque walls,
punctuated by brilliant windows, the
rich tiling, the little court with#its
cascade flowing over glass terraces,
form a bullding not less attractive
than novel, opening a field for the
use of the material, not only for
Saeme fvom Macterlincks“ Deathz of
pleasure houses, but in buildings con¬
Mavionetten Thechte n
at the
structed for the cure of certain dis¬
eehiittonz.
eases by means of sunlight.
In the more restricted field of
stained glass, the artist, Thorn Prik¬
tive group of a
ally swelling tide from the irresponsi¬
ker, has achieved a triumph recog¬
Besnard, Denis,
ble joy and caprice of childhood,
nized in many ccuntries besides his
Monet, Rodin,
throughiconflict to passion, dropping
own. The windows recently made by
among them.
finallysto the synthetic peace that
him for a Rhenish church have been
expeditions of
holds the impression of all emotions
placed in a chapel especially con¬
Velde, who sha
that have gone toward its consum¬
structed for them on the exhibltion
craftsmanship a
mation. The different windows of
by the infliience
grounds, and justify the trouble taken
the series are a part of one scheme
When Thorn¬
to give them an appropriate setting.
not only in linear compesition büt in
ing windows ho
In the dimness of the little building
color, each being an essential element
of considering th
waves of color pour from the win¬
In the general effect.
in glass. The 0
dows as waves of sound from an
Thorn-Prikker was born at The
a water-Color sk
organ, in stately and magnificent
Hague in 1870, After a fruitful ex¬
inen in the wol
harmonies. The schemne of color is
perience In art education in his own
tending toward
2-eined emo¬
country and in Belgium, he established
Poterig!
5