Cantor lectures on the arts of tapestry making and embroidery ..delivered before the Society, April 5th, 12th and 19th, 1886 . al arrangements we looked atduring the earlier portion of the lecture. Bothindicate a lower level in performance thanthat of Leochares work, and might be regarded either as deteriorations from that level or asaspirations to attain to it. Deterioration from or aspiration to some-thing better, are extremely interesting qualitiesto detect in a development of art, and in thisconnection I propose to refer to samples of theartistic expressions of the New Zealander;not, howev
Cantor lectures on the arts of tapestry making and embroidery ..delivered before the Society, April 5th, 12th and 19th, 1886 . al arrangements we looked atduring the earlier portion of the lecture. Bothindicate a lower level in performance thanthat of Leochares work, and might be regarded either as deteriorations from that level or asaspirations to attain to it. Deterioration from or aspiration to some-thing better, are extremely interesting qualitiesto detect in a development of art, and in thisconnection I propose to refer to samples of theartistic expressions of the New Zealander;not, however, that I can in any way suggestthe stage of development to or from whichthis type of ornament may be ascending ordescending. Broadly speaking, two foremostmotives in ornament from New Zealand arethe human figure and spirals. But the NewZealanders, like many other people whose con-dition of life and habits is different from our own,make both realistic imitations of things andornamental devices based on abstract and otherforms. The quality of their realistic works isshown in carved heads like these (Fig. 8) which Fig. have, I believe, the prime purpose of display-ing portraits, the one of a man not tattooed,the other of one tattooed. We may look at a piece of ornamentedpierced work in which spirals are alter-nated with human figures, and therein detecthow the New Zealanders appreciation ofcontrast and of balancing forms affects hispatterns. And now we pass to a canoe prow(Fig. 9, p. 8).* The main lines of the prow areemphasised, and separate the various portionswhich are ornamented. Two spirals corres- * This specimen belongs to the Duke of Edin-burgh, -who kindly allowed it to be photographed. ponding with one another are so arranged as togive another proof of theNewZealanders senseof balance of form. Between them are othershapes, also arranged in an orderly manner,and again expressing his sense of balance ofform. Below is a narrow space filled in withcurves produci
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Keywords: ., bookautho, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectembroidery
