Theory and Practice of Design, and Advanced Text-Book on Decorative Art (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1894 edition. Excerpt: ... which we include in this section, appear to owe their origin, as the meaning of the word indicates, to the ancient use of paper or parchment labels for holding inscriptions and badges; when the latter were used, the cartouche took the form of shields. The edges of these labels or shields, when fancifully cut, naturally curled into scroll forms of an ornamental character. This, attracting attention, led to a systematic develop ment, and ultimately, in conjunction with interlaced ornament, resulted in that particular kind of decorative detail known as cartouche work. As an element it is valuable in design, both in its capacity as a foil to set off more interesting ornament, and as a tonic to give strength to a composition. On Plate XVIII. are shown some sketches from cut paper, with the edges rolled in various ways, to illustrate the probable beginnings of the cartouche: Fig. 12, cut as at a, with the projections rolled backwards; Fig. 13, cut on the lines of b, the parts rolled backwards and forwards; Fig. 14 is a variation of the same, all the parts being curved forwards; Fig. 15 shows a richer form, cut as at c; and Figs. 16, 17, 18, and 19 are obtained in the same way, the diagrams attached, d, e, f, and g, being their forms in the flat. Plate XIX. is devoted to examples showing the further development of the cartouche at different periods. After the ornamental elaboration of the edges they become thickened, a result no doubt obtained from their reproduction in carving. The thickness was sometimes uniform, but more often graduated, a refinement which added greatly to the character of this ornamental element (see Figs. 1, 4, and 6 from French and Flemish examples of the sixteenth century). Then we have the borders of the cartouche foliated and...