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KERAMIC STUDIO 
MAUD M. MASON ----- 
218 East 59th Street, New York City 
Page Editor 
FOR OUR INSPIRATION 
ONE of the points upon which I endeavor to lay special em- 
phasis in my teaching is the forming of right ideals in 
regard to decoration. To assist in this, I encourage my pupils 
to cultivate the collector spirit, to collect wherever possible re- 
productions or photographs of fine examples of not only ceramic 
art, but of other branches of handicraft, such as textiles, carv- 
ings in wood and stone, and other such works that have special 
beauty of design and color. A collection of this kind placed in 
a convenient portfolio or large scrap-book will be a never failing 
source of inspiration and if of the right kind, each time you study 
it, new beauties will be revealed and it will be full of sugges- 
tions for the decoration of your porcelains. 
I do not mean the reproductions should be used as studies 
to reproduce on your own porcelains, although this is excellent 
study,but that they should be studied for their beauty of spac- 
ing, line and pattern, and other qualities which they exemplify 
and which you wish to apply in your own work. 
Personally, few works of art can thrill me as can a beautiful 
piece of Persian ceramics. They show a charm and fitness of 
design so fresh and spontaneous in their conception and execu- 
tion, so delightful in color, that they are always a joy to study. 
To possess a few examples of old Persian art of your very own 
is a joy indeed. In keeping these fine examples ever before us, 
the Greek, the Persian, the Chinese, the Italian and the His- 
pano Moresque wares, we cannot fail to feel their good influ- 
ence in the improvement of taste and the elevation of standards. 
I hope our editor in chief will allow me to contribute each 
month a reproduction of some beautiful ex- 
ample of the old ceramics for the student 
decorator to study. Of course, those of our 
decorators who live in the large cities have 
recourse to Museums where such articles are 
to be seen and also have opportunities to 
study other private and public collections. 
I find, however, that these city dwellers 
do not take advantage of these opportunities 
as often as you would think. I hope these 
reproductions will be helpful, as they are 
especially meantfor those who live in the 
smaller towns and cities, who complain of 
having no source of inspiration, no opportu- 
nities to see fine things. If these workers 
began to search, however, keeping their col- 
lection in mind, they would be astonished 
at the numerous beautiful reproductions that 
will force themselves upon them. So let us 
begin to form our own private gallery of 
beautiful ancient handiwork for our inspira- 
tion. 
The photograph reproduced this month 
is of a splendid old Persian plate in the Met- 
ropolitan Museum of Art. The flowery ar- 
rangement in the centre of the plate is most 
suggestive of the blossoming springtime, having a charming line 
arrangement and fine spotting. Its growing, graceful flowers and 
tender fronds springing from the ground are delightful, as is the 
suggestion of timid, wild things dashing through the flowery 
growth. The space separating the center ornament from the 
border or its frame is well planned and the border itself has fine 
musical rhythm of line and spotting. It conveys a wonderful 
impression of joyousness and freedom from restraint, although 
it conforms so admirably to all these rules of arrangement that 
OLD PERSIAN PLATB 
we are fond of applying. In fact, it conveys its message with- 
out obviously telling you its means of accomplishing this. 
There is no machine-like, hard and fast, never varying out- 
line here, but every line is drawn with freedom, sureness and 
knowledge, being full of life and vitality. Add to all this the 
charm of color, beautiful transparent blues, turquoise, greens 
etc., and have we not a delightful work of art and one of which 
the reproduction is worth preserving? 
*.•** 
«••••. 
THE two plate designs are planned for wide rimmed French 
or Austrian plates, whose hard glazes require the Mason 
hard enamels for their decoration. The floral motifs are re- 
peated five times on both plates and would look well used with- 
out the narrow borders at the edge if a simpler effect or less 
work is desired. In the yellow and black scheme, the edge 
could be finished with a strong black line inside of it. In the 
lower plate the blue band could be replaced by a blue line on 
the edge with the inner line of yellow. 
