2 ?° ON TASTE IN ORNAMENTAL DESIGN. Part II. 



properly set forth by Mr. Euskin (" Stones of Venice," vol. i. 

 p. 244). 



58. This should also be borne in mind in selecting a paper, 

 or in colouring the rooms of a house, that whenever pictures 

 are to be introduced, the walls should be of one uniform 

 colour, without patterns, as these interfere with the effect of 

 the paintings ; and of all grounds for this purpose (as I have 

 already stated, pp. 97, 105) a red, or a tea-green, may be 

 mentioned as the best. No one with any feeling for art 

 would hang good paintings on a wall covered with flowers, 

 or a figured paper ; and I have heard of an artist who always 

 demanded a larger price for one of his works if he knew its 

 position was to be on a wall so decorated, as if to compensate 

 for the injury done to his painting, and to punish the pur- 

 chaser for his ignorance. No pictures should be placed on 

 such walls; they are degraded by them; while they too 

 interfere with the appearance of a room so decorated. Nor 

 should large paintings be admitted into a small room ; still 

 less if they represent the human figure above life-size ; and 

 in the decoration of its walls, when without pictures, the 

 patterns should be small, as they would also have the effect 

 of decreasing its apparent size. Bright furniture, and hang- 

 ings of various and rich colours, should not be admitted into 

 the same room with paintings; nor should porcelain, or 

 other curiosities — particularly where, from their form or 

 colour, they are likely to distract the attention — be allowed 

 to interfere with them. Nor should statues be admitted into 

 a picture gallery. When looking at paintings, we do not 

 wish to pass from them to the contemplation of sculpture ; 

 and it is surprising that a people of taste, like the Italians, 

 should place in one room the gems of their collection in 

 painting and statuary, as in the Tribune, at Florence. Nor 

 should pictures differing in style, depth of colouring, and 

 other peculiarities, be contrasted with each other in juxta- 

 position, to their mutual disadvantage. 



