APPLIED ART. ^3 



XII. WALL PAPERS. 



Wall-paper is a conuiKHlitx- wliidi enters very largely now into the life of a 

 civilised conununity, and, like most dcMnestic articles, has its fashions, ideas, 

 forms, designs, colouiing, &c., all changing with kaleidoscopic \-ariation of i)assing 

 years. 



The W'aratah, however, is so constituted that its component parts and 

 lea\-es lend tliemseh-es to almost any treatment in Applied Art for this purpose, 

 and, in the li.mds ol skillnl draltsmen, are c(tn\-erf ii)le into any design or motive. 



( )i al: hranrhes ol Applied Art wall-paper oinamentations depict botanical 

 forms, both from life and wirious coiu'entionalisations, perhaps mcnx' than any 

 other branih of the subject. x\t tliis one cannot wonder, for expressions of Nature 

 w ill alw ays surpass in Ixauty and design geometrical as well as rococo renderings in 

 decoration. We can hardly l)e surprised that a fiower so gorgeous as the Waratah 

 should have lieen a favourite in this direction with the late Mr. Henry, U)V it is 

 doubtful if any specimen of th ' botanical world permits of such l)old treatment 

 in wall-paper decoration. This is illustrated in colour in Figure 54. The blue 

 ground brings out the rich colouring of the flowers and l)racts, whilst the green of 

 the leaves gives the natural harmonising of these two. It is both beautiful and 

 effective. 



Figure 55 is an original design for a dark paper, further decorated with a 

 Waratah conception in gold, by Mr. C. Toms, Museum .\rtist and Lecturer. 



Figure 56 is a design by the late Mr. Parnell Johnson, Lecturer in Applied Art 

 at the Sydney Technical College, the stalk or stem and leaf treatment being 

 particularly good. 



hlgure 57 is an original design, composed of Waratahs and Flannel Flowers, 

 also executed 1)\' Mr. Parnell Johnson. 



In Figure 5(S we have a concepti<;)n introducing tlu' tl(nver-heads and leaves 

 of the New South Wales, Mctorian, and Tasmanian Waratahs. 



In this instance, conx'entionalisation in no way obhterates the botanical 

 identity of the i)lants. It was also designed by Mr. C. Toms, Museum Artist 

 and Lecturer in A})i)lied Art at the Sydney Technical College. 



