Identifier: examplesofhouseh00smit (find matches)
Title: Examples of household taste
Year: 1875 (1870s)
Authors: Smith, Walter, 1836-1886 Smith, Walter, 1836-1886. Industrial art of the International Exhibition
Subjects: Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.) Decorative arts
Publisher: New York, R. Worthington
Contributing Library: Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Library

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seas, when the rest of Europe was ignorant ofthe existence of another continent. Around the bowl of the vase is a seriesof nineteen medallions, telling the story of the heros life, in a quaint yeteloquent language, more intelligible than words. Beginning with the ceremoniesattending his birth, we see portrayed his early life, his instruction in the useof implements of war, his initiation into the stern reality of war and his 43° THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, 1876. departure on some voyage of conquest. Here are the scenes of revelry onhis return, the sacrifice of thanksgiving- to his gods, his marriage, and thehomage of his followers, his death on the battle-field, his funeral pyre, and themonument marking his final resting-place. As handles to the vase we have thedragons of his mythology, and the mysterious knotted bands, and the knot ofThor also are introduced in the ornamentation. The dimensions of this vaseare twenty-four inches in height by fifteen inches diameter of bowl. In the
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Ornamental Iron Work; Swedish Court, decorative treatment the porcelain body is finished by the process before named,with a deadened silver surface. The medallions are outlined in light blue upona buff ground. The dragons, the bands and the other decorations are outlinedin black or white on the buff ground, picked in here and there with vermilion.The contrast of color is strong, and oives strength to the design, which hasall the vigor characteristic of the art-work of Northern Europe. But its uniqueexcellence is the exquisitely soft and rich texture of the silvered surface, soadmirably contrasting with the decoration. INDUSTRIAL ART. 431

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