Germarz
for other objects, such as the bracelet, the watch, and the fan. I
think it is very diHicult to rescue the bracelet from conventionality.
We must hope the best for the future. But what about watch-cases,
especially those of 1adies' watches? This art is quite neglected, not
so much by the manufacturers as by the artists. At this year's
Darmstadt Exhibition there Were two Watches displayed. One of
them had the case enamelled, if I mistake not, in the form of a
chrysanthemum, and on the other Was modelled the figure of one of
the t" F ates." The eifect of the chrysanthemum watch was fairly
good, but the less said about the " Fate " the better. Why is it not
possible to design an ornament with taste and furnish it with
precious stones and enamel? It is the greatest pity that our
sculptors have no imagination. Having arrived at the determina-
tion to think of a watch, the artist has no idea beyond depicting one
of the " Fates " with the thread and the scissors. I saidjust now that
the watch Was neglected less by the manufacturers than by the
artists. Nowadays you may find watches indeed with gaily-coloured
cases, but the decorations are miserable, like everything else that is
invented by the manufacturers. They don't want to pay a good
price for the artist's sketch, and they are proud of the inspiration of
their own Muse. In this case one cannot avoid the conclusion that
the artists are themselves to blame for their neglect of this branch
of the jewellefs art.
THE condition of aifairs with regard to the fan is also very
astonishing. Why do our artists not supply our ladies with nice
fans? Please do not confound "nice" with "precious." The
fan as We know it now is so utterly "played out " that scarcely
anything can be done with it. New arrangements ot the feathers
are invented; the handle is trimmed in different Ways; new materials
are used, but a really new and artistic idea cannot be devised.
Titian's " Lady with the Fan " is admired; the fan is known very
Well, but nobody thinks of making use of it. Meanwhile another
kind of fan is being more and more extensively employed. I
refer to the palm-leaf of the Japanese and the Chinese. People are
very fond of being fanned by these leaves, but nobody observes their
artistic possibilities. An artist who can afford to be independent or
mere fashion is therefore Wanted to give new life to the fan. Such
an artist Will Win lasting success.