Our homes, and how to beautify them . preme excellence. That known as Empire was characterized in manyof its ornaments by a stiff and affected classicism, which had been introducedunder the guidance of Uavid in his anxiety to pander to the Caesarism of columns and vases were introduced into decoration with more zeal thanrelevancy ; yet such an artistic people as the French could not quite lose alldecorative sense, and the contrast and balance of parts and exceeding reticencewhich marked the Empire period really constituted a true stvle. But it was the OUR HOMES, last of the Fr
Our homes, and how to beautify them . preme excellence. That known as Empire was characterized in manyof its ornaments by a stiff and affected classicism, which had been introducedunder the guidance of Uavid in his anxiety to pander to the Caesarism of columns and vases were introduced into decoration with more zeal thanrelevancy ; yet such an artistic people as the French could not quite lose alldecorative sense, and the contrast and balance of parts and exceeding reticencewhich marked the Empire period really constituted a true stvle. But it was the OUR HOMES, last of the French ,st) There has not even been the ghost of one since. Inmore than a humorous sense, Art stopped short, as Mr. Gilbert puts it, in thecultivated court of the Ii^mpress Josephine. DECORATIVE ART IN ENGLAND. \ A/HEN passing in review the English styles of decoration, it has to be remembered that up to the time of the Revolution, that is until the close of the 17th Centur), the wood almost universally employed was oak. Ebony was. IIG. 16. COLlvT CLIUOAKK IX CAKVED OAK, 1603 (SOUIH KENSINGTON). occasionally to be found, during the .Stuart regime, in the houses of the wealth)-,but it was rarely of English fashioning. Dak panelling, oak beams, and oakfurniture were the general e(]ui|)nient of tile best tlwellings, e\en those of themanor-house type. Ihe period from the accession of Henr) VII. to theCommonwealth ma), in fact, be regardetl as pa;- : the Oak Age in AND HOW TO BEAUTIFY THEM. Kngland. This wood, in its duraljilit), its massiveness and sturd) grandeur,was specially tjpical of the great Tudor times. As a decorative materialit was susceptible of the massive dignit) characteristic of what, notwith-standing persecution by bigots and the occasional folly of kings, was asplendid and imposing age. Mahogany did not come into general usefor furniture until the early part of the i8th Century, and walnut, although it was miport-at an earlieralways ijuiteoak in the d
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectinterio, bookyear1902
