KERAMIC STUDIO 
157 
No. I Large Yellow Pottery Bowl, Copper Lustre 
Decoration, designed and executed by 
Elizabeth Mason Vanderhoof 
No. 2 Bowl, designed by Maud M. Mason. 
Executed by Elizabeth Mason Vanderhoof. 
Italian Ware, Gold Lustre Decoration. 
EXHIBITED AT THE MASTER CRAFTSMENS' EXHIBITION OF THE ART ALLIANCE 
MUSEUM STUDY FOR CERAMIC STUDENTS 
Maud M. Mason 
WHEN pupils come to me to study design I try to im- 
press upon them the importance of studying the fine 
examples of craftsmanship to be found in the various and 
splendid Museums in New York City, which I urge them to 
visit frequently, very keenly appreciating the value of such 
study. I am constantly astonished at the difficulty of inter- 
esting them in such visits. Usually they think a single visit 
will suffice for a stay in the city of several weeks or months. 
They will perhaps have wandered through rather aimlessly, 
being only mildly interested and coming away without a single 
definite impression, excepting that of weariness. Of course 
this is not the spirit in which to do this work. Each visit 
should count and we should gather some bit of information 
that would be of practical use in our work. 
I always suggest that note and sketch book be taken 
along when a trip to the Museum is proposed and that at least 
one careful drawing be made from the detail of some decora- 
tion that impressed you as being especially beautifull. The 
average student is apt to try to copy too much in a given time, 
consequently the sketch is apt to be rather ill considered and 
careless and of little artistic value. My idea of such study is 
to go to the Museum fresh and enthusiastic, select some beau- 
tiful object whose decoration suggests uses to you, say for 
instance an old Greek Jar, with beautifully spaced borders. 
First sketch the jar in outline and space the borders carefully, 
then the general masses of the decoration and then paint with 
brush and ink the design exactly in its relation to the back- 
ground. Endeavor to reproduce the design exactly as it is. 
Just this careful study of the ornament makes it worth while. 
We must not only try to reproduce the pattern but study the 
quality of the line also, or the brush stroke, — the manner in 
which it is executed. 
The collection of Greek Pottery at the Metropolitan 
Museum is full of inspiration to the ceramic decorator and 
many mornings could be spent there most profitably. The 
galleries devoted to the Persian Ceramics are simply fascinat- 
ing, the blues, greens and yellows verily singing against their 
quiet grey background. Such beautiful forms, colors and 
decorations! You are so thrilled by them that you are at first 
quite bewildered, but gradually you begin to study individ- 
ual pieces and then you wish there was no such thing as time 
in the world and that you had all time before you for copying 
them and making them your very own. 
Of course the Chinese Porcelains offer endless suggestions 
to the decorator also and especially are they interesting for 
the study of the disposition of the decorations. Another fine 
collection quite worthy of your study is that of the Mexican 
Majolica. This group is bold and telling in its big splashy 
and simpler designs and fine brilliant coloring which suits the 
coarse ware very satisfactorily. And then the splendid old 
Italian Majolicas constitute another source of joy for us in 
their deligthfully spirited illustrative designs in deep rich blues 
and glowing yellows, oranges and greens. The Italian lustred 
ware is particularly suggestive to us and is a type of decora- 
tion well adapted to some of the soft domestic wares that we 
BOWL— "THE CHASE" 
Polychrome decoration in enamel on Jblack enamel background — Enamel 
green enamel lining the bowl. 
Exhibited at the Master Craftsmens' Exhibition of the Art Alliance. 
