214 
RERAMIC STUDIO 
NATIONAL LEAGUE 
THE course of study, as arranged for the National League 
by its Chairman of Education, is a most important event 
in the League's history. 
After the Paris Exposition, we ceramists awoke to the 
fact that a great chasm separated us from the world of artists 
and artist-craftsmen, and we have since been in a state of 
unrest and transition. Many influences have been at work for 
our good. The manner in which the jury at the Paris Expo- 
sition regarded our work stung us into action, and the helpful 
and inspiring influence of such men as Mr. Dow has done 
much toward opening a way for us to gain that which we 
need. The Paris jury revealed some things to us which, 
though not flattering, were wholesome food for thought. 
They explained that our work could not be recognized as 
ceramic art because we decorators had had nothing to do 
with the production of the ware itself — the fashioning of the 
forms, the making of body and glaze, etc. — their idea of a 
ceramist being one who prepares his own bodies and glazes, 
fashions his forms and decorates, glazes and fires them him- 
self. Our work, furthermore, could not be honored as deco- 
ration because, as a rule, it was not decoration — we having 
mistaken our ceramic forms for nothing more than surfaces 
upon which to represent flowers and figures, instead of first of 
all studying form, and to a beautiful form adding only such 
decoration as would be a carrying further, an enhancing of the 
form itself. Those of us who have begun to study seriously 
have learned that to gain any placing in the art world or be 
ranked with sincere artist-craftsmen we must study the princi- 
ples out of which the world's great art has grown. We find 
that those artists and artist-craftsmen who have achieved real 
distinction are those who have studied the art of the past and 
The course of study of the National League will be found in September 
Keramic Studio, and the vase and bowl were illustrated m January- 
number. We intended to reprint the course of study in this issue, but 
lack of room prevents us from doing so. — [Ed.] 
have become filled with the spirit of the fine old things, which 
has given a touch of distinction to their own work afterward. 
They study their material and use such decoration as will be 
in keeping with it and with the use for which the article is 
intended. 
Many have been won over in spirit to this new point of 
view but are somewhat discouraged by the difficulties in actu- 
alizing these ideals in personal experience, owing to the lack 
of sympathy on the part of our patrons who constitute the 
masses. When we ourselves learn to love good and beautiful 
work, and direct our efforts to producing such, it will not be 
long before the people will begin to care for it and want it. 
The main thing now is to enlist the interest of all ceramic 
workers in the movement, and that the National League is 
wishing to do in its "course of study" for 1902-1903. Form 
being the first subject in ceramics which we ought to consider, 
but have heretofore neglected, it seems natural that this 
course of study should begin with a "Modelled Candlestick" 
and a "Drawing of a Ceramic Form (a pitcher.") This is 
getting back to first principles, and if we go about it in the 
right way we should get at something worth while. For in- 
spiration we could not do better than to study the beautiful 
pottery in the museums, from Cyprus, Peru, and also the 
work of our own American Indians, made at a time when 
the art-feeling was strong, and fine art was put into the 
simplest articles of utility. Ancient Greek and Roman 
lamps will suggest ideas for candlesticks, as will architectural 
pillars and columns. 
This study of form leads us to an unlimited field of possi- 
bilities, the use of ornament either incised, modelled in relief 
or painted. We may also venture into the fascinating study 
of " matt " or " texture" glazes. 
All these interesting things, however, are nothing without 
beauty of form to begin with. 
This list also calls for a "Design for tile." These three 
problems constitute the competitive features of the course, and 
