Art As Applied To Furniture.

be , as a matter of art , so much neglected ? Because , unfortunately , so little has the public eye been accustomed to , and educated in any good design or style of furniture , that , from Avant of knoAving better , the prejudice in favour of the before-described upholsterers' trumpery is A ery

strong : and so I expect that art in its application to furniture Avill have quite a battle to fight , and find but few friends . This , hoAvever , should not discourage us , but make us more determined to help it on , and as much as lies in our power Ave should embrace every opportunity of encouraging its

groAvth by studying it in connection with every object , however trifling and inferior . NOAV , the questionarises , how to introduce andniake popular good designs , Avhich may be generally adaptable and attractive as well as economical . In an

economical point of view , until the carrying out of good designs became general , it is to be feared onr modern furniture Avould have the advantage , especially when Ave consider the tempting advertisements to "those about to furnish , " in Avhich every article and requisite are fully described for

a house of so many rooms , and the whole to be had for the extraordinary low price of £ — . NOAV , the cheapness of this furniture depends on the regular trade system of its construction , one man making exclusively one portion of an article , and in only one pattern ; another man another portion

exclusively ; and so on , machine-like , to the end of their lives . This daily habit enables each one to execute and turn out his part Avith much rapidity . Again , in this cheap furniture , AA ^ hich so much tempts the public , the very fact of deficiency of art helps the tradesman in selling at low prices

, because much bad material and inferior work may be passed off when concealed by mere stuff , having no form or comeliness about it . Again , much of our modern furniture is admii-ed because of the

profusion of its so-called ornament , and which , from repetition , has acquired so firm a hold on the minds of ordinary men , that the profusion is taken for art . Now , it cannot be doubted that this error , so firmly rooted in the habits and customs of the century , would make a ,

strongstand against the introduction of any commonsense system of design . "A gradual change from simplicity to complex forms and unlicensed ornament seems to be the fate of the fine arts . " This may truly be said of our modern furniture as compared Avith that of olden times . The question ,

can the character of our furniture be improved ? presents at first sight an almost over . A'helming difficulty . For , " after the eye is accustomed to profuse ornament , simplicity is at the risk of appearing lifeless and insipid ; and this would be the first Paynim knight to battle with in our

endeavour to restore the ancient simplicity Avhich was , and is , ever at the root of noble design The question naturally arises , how is an interest in our furniture to be created ? The reply is—1 . To avoid all complexity of form , all elaboration ,

Art As Applied To Furniture.

all excess and profusion of ornament , thus starting on the real and only foundation of all art worksimplicity . 2 . Let each part have , and as far as practicable shoAv , a purpose , both in construction and ornament , and thus say Avhat it has to say . Ornament may be of three desert-ions—carved ,

inlaid , or painted . In either we may tell a tale or history , and so create immediate interest for the mind .

The Forthcoming Dublin Exhibition.

THE FORTHCOMING DUBLIN EXHIBITION .

A paper on " The Recent Progress and Present State of Industry in Ireland , and the Dublin International Exhibition of 1865 , " was read at the Society of Arts , on the 14 th . inst ., by Sir Robert Kane , F . R . S ., President of Queen ' s College , Cork , and Director of the Museum of Irish Industry , Dublin , at the request of the Executive Committee of the Exhibition which is to be held next summer

in Dublin . Sir Robert explained that the opportunity of organising the Exhibition has arisen from the fact that a number of gentlemen , including the Duke of Leinster , Mr . Guinness , and Mr . Dargan , possessing at once the inclination and the power ,

have undertaken to provide for the citizens of Dublin a great winter garden and buildings containg concert and lecture rooms , supplying , but on a smaller scale , the resources and enjoyments of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham . An independent executive committee having been formed to organise and carry out an International Exhibition , the directors of the Winter Garden have most

liberally placed their fine buildings altogether at the disposal of the committee for that purpose , and the executive committee have gladly availed themselves of this truly patriotic proposal . It has been arranged that all funds arising from the receipts above the payments of the expenses incidental to

the Exhibition , shall be vestect in a committee of noblemen and gentlemen , under whose direction the excess shall be applied to public purposes for the advancement of arts and sciences' in Ireland .

The building is situate on the south side of Dublin , and in what may be considered the most fashionable quarter of the city ; close to the terminus of the railway which leads to the beautiful mountain scenery of WickloAV . The space accommodation is very large . The principal portions of

the Exhibition Avill be located in the great conservatories of the winter garden , constructions in glass and iron Avhich rival the Crystal Palace itself in elegance of design , although , of course , much inferior in extent , and affording advantages as to supply of light and means of display which could

not be surpassed . Under these favourable circumstances , he continued , it may be hoped that , not merely on public grounds , but even on the lower but more directly practical basis of individual advantage , we may hope for the co-operation of the manufacturers of