i6 N.S.W. TECHNICAL EDUCATION. 



are in possessing so fine a floral specimen as the Waratah lor decorative purposes. 

 The individual flowers are capable of almost innumerable treatment in ornamen- 

 tation, whilst the bracts give tha artist a splendid field for line work in the setting 

 of these, and to all must be added the delightful irregularity of the leaf form, 

 with its pronounced reticulations of the venation, both offering sufficient material 

 for producing a rococo, fohaceous effect. 



The entire plant lends itself to such a boldness of artistic ideas in all 

 branches of Applied Art that it has few compeers amongst the representatives 

 of the whole floral world, certainly not in the Australian, judging by its numerous 

 apphcations (over other native flowers) in architecture, and the different 

 l)ranches of decoration in Technology that one sees on every hand. 



It is impossible to say now, or to give the name of the individuals who 

 idealised or conventionalised the Lotus, Acanthus, Honeysuckle, or Iris, but in 

 this young country of a little over ? century's growth, a few of the artists' names 

 may be mentioned who have introduced our native flora in dec orative Applied 

 Art. In this connection the Sydney Technical College staff stands high and 

 perhaps first, and taken chronologically Mr. Lucien Henry, the first teacher of 

 Art, was par excellence a designer from nature, whilst the late Parnell Johnson 

 was also particularly clever in his original renderings of our flora in technical 

 skill. As of old, many have left only their floral inscriptions in stone or iron — 

 their names have passed away, but their works live on. In Mr. L. Henry, Aus- 

 tralia certainly had an artist possessing real genius, and his originality in design 

 and other fields of fine and Applied Art will live long in the annals of New South 

 Wales technical education. Some of his works adorn the walls of our Technical 

 College, but what is probably a complete collection of his originals is now on 

 exhibition at this Museum, several of which are reproduced here. They are 

 a splendid proof of the fertility of his brain, for they cover original designs 

 from our native fauna and flora in architecture, ironwork, wall-papers, glass, 

 stained windows, jewehery, china, chandeliers, electric lights, tiles, horology, &c., 

 In all these branches of Technology, strength is given to his work by an absence 

 of fictitious details with which he appears to have had no dealings in his 

 botanical elaborations. 



To the list of these names must now be added, that of Mr. C. Toms, artist of 

 this Museum, and present Lecturer in Decorative Art at the Technical College, 

 Sydney. I am also indebted to these three for the many conventional renderings 

 of the Waratah in the different trades branches. 



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