204 



ART IN HI 



)RM AND ORNAMENT. 



First, it is found tliat in the practice of primitive textile art a va- 

 riety of methods of combination or bindings of the parts have been 

 evolved and utilized, and we observe that eacli of these — no matter 

 what the material or what the size and character of the filamental 

 elements — gives rise to distinct classes of surface effects. Thus it ap- 

 pears that peojjles who happen to discover and use like combinations 

 produce kindred decorative results, while those employing unlike con- 

 structions achieve distinct classes of surface embellishment. These 

 constructive peciiliarities have a pretty decided effect upon the style 

 of ornament, relieved or colored, and must be carefully consiilered in 

 the treatment of design; but it is found that each type of comlnnation 

 has a greatly varied capacity of expression, tending to obliterate sharp 

 lines of demarkation between the groups of results. It sometimes 

 even happens that in distinct types of weaving almo.st identical sur- 

 face effects are produced. 



It will not l)e necessary in tliis connection to present a full series of 

 the fundamental bindings or orders of combination, as a few will suf- 

 fice to illustrate the principles involved and to make clear the bearing 

 of this classof i^henomena upon decoration. I choose, first, a mimber 

 ( )f t-xanqiles from the simplest type of weaving, that in which the web 

 and the woof are merely interlaced, the filaments crossing at right 

 angles or nearly so. In Fig. 391 we have the resiUt exhibited in a 

 l^lain open or reticulated fabric constructed from ordinary untwisted 

 fillets, si;ch as are employed in our sjdint and cane jiroducts. Fig. 

 ■■i'.)-i illustrates the surface produced l)y crowding the liorizontal series 



Fio. am. Surface relief in 

 npleat form of intersec- 



FiG. S!12. Surface relief pro- 

 duced by horizontal series 

 crowded togrether. 



Fig. 298. Surface relief 

 produced by wide fillets set 

 close together. 



of the same fabric close together, so that the vertical series is entirely 

 hidden. The surface here exhibits a succession of vertical ribs, an 

 effect totally distinct from that seen in the preceding example. The 

 third variety (Fig. 293) differs but slightly from the first. The til- 

 lets are wider and are set clo.se together without crowding, giving 

 the surface a checkered appearance. 



The second variety of surface effect is tliat most frecpiently seen 

 in the basketry of our western tribes, as it I'csidts from tlie great 

 degreeof compactness necessary in vessels intended to contain litpiids. 



