Gates and Gateways. 



199 



not fallen under the spell of Tijou or at least of his book of designs. The 

 horizontal lines are heavily emphasised and the embossed shells at the top of 

 the side panels are unusually prominent. The "overthrow" of the gate is 

 very marked by the range of embossed acanthus leaves (derived apparently 

 from Tijou's gadroon and acanthus border) which connect the two stout 

 horizontals supporting the pyramid of scrollwork, etc. A rather unusual feature 

 is the trio of oval rings at the base of each side panel. The embossed leaves are well 

 executed, though without the natural swirl that characterises them in Tijou's work 

 and connects them organically with the iron tendrils to which they are fixed. For 

 all that, their placing in the design is very happily managed, and could not have been 

 done by a smith who 

 knew nothing of 

 Tijou's pioneer work. 

 The execution is very 

 good, and the repairs 

 which Mr. C. G. Hare 

 has lately superin- 

 tended fortunately 

 did not need to be 

 extensive. No doubt 

 the succeeding 

 owners of the gate 

 have been careful to 

 keep the ironwork 

 painted. Without 

 such attention the 

 slight substance of 

 the embossed work 

 would long since 

 have rusted away. 

 Modern craftsmen 

 doing similar leaf- 

 work commonly use 

 sheet copper or sheet 

 bronze, which defies 

 the weather and can 

 be blacked as easily 

 as sheet iron. 



The history of 

 English wrought-iron 

 gates can hardly be 

 said to have begun 

 until the advent of 

 Jean Tijou in 1689. 

 Further particulars 

 of the career of this 

 great artist are given 

 in a chapter, (by Mr. 

 J. Starkie Gardner) 

 in The House and FIG. 285. GARDEN GATE MADE BY THE BROTHERS ROBERTS. 



