Decorative Art
CLXXIX
Decoration is the activity, the life of art, its justification, and its social utility.
Bracquemond.
CLXXX
The true function of painting is to animate wall-spaces. Apart from this, pictures should never be larger than one’s hand.
Puvis de Chavannes.
CLXXXI
I want big things to do and vast spaces, and for common people to see them and say Oh!—only Oh!
Burne-Jones.
CLXXXII
I insist upon mural painting for three reasons—first, because it is an exercise of art which demands the absolute knowledge only to be obtained by honest study, the value of which no one can doubt, whatever branch of art the student might choose to follow afterwards; secondly, because the practice would bring out that gravity and nobility deficient in the English school, but not in the English character, and which being latent might therefore be brought out; and, thirdly, for the sake of action upon the public mind. For public improvement it is necessary that works of sterling but simple excellence should be scattered abroad as widely as possible. At present the public never see anything beautiful excepting in exhibition rooms, when the novelty of sight-seeing naturally disturbs the intellectual perceptions. It is a melancholy fact that scarcely a single object amongst those that surround us has any pretension to real beauty, or could be put simply into a picture with noble effect. And as I believe the love of beauty to be inherent in the human mind, it follows that there must be some unfortunate influence at work; to counteract this should be the object of a fine-art institution, and I feel assured if really good things were scattered amongst the people, it would not be long before satisfactory results exhibited themselves.
G. F. Watts.