A Plea for Picturesque Houses

Transcript of printed booklet available here in the Bodleian Library, date-stamped 1909 Name of author not printed in the book, but it has the stamp of Stephen Salter of Oxford

As an old pupil of John Ruskin’s drawing school I local builder, carpenter, clerk, etc., or others (who cannot let life pass away without trying to do all in are entirely uneducated in art and lacking the spe- my power to raise the tone of Architecture by aid cial scientific training so essentially necessary for of pen and pencil. The idea that a picturesque an Architect), they can be but good, but their ut- house is more expensive to erect that the usual most efforts result only in raising monuments to builder’s “efforts” is evidently deeply rooted, but illustrate the proverb that “a little knowledge is a it is a mistake in every way. Ruskin would tell us dangerous thing” (it means, also, a low rate of in- that the picturesque is of a most pliant nature in terest on outlay). Beautiful houses have an effect the hands of true artists, and is readily adapted to on the human mind, and the manner in which a the ever-varying forms of houses designed for our town is housed has a direct effect on the physical convenience and comfort, and that a building may condition and moral tone of its people, and more and should possess all the beauty of our old hous- artistic houses would suffice to change our dreary es, combined with modern arrangements and ap- streets into something the beauty and interest of pliances, for it is not elaborate detail and expense, which would be a constant source of pleasure. It is but cultured design that produces beauty; indeed, too often evident that people, instead of being as- the same materials and labour which are so often, sisted and their lives added to by the houses they alas, bestowed upon the erection of our ugly hous- occupy, are but living as well as may be in spite of es could be made to produce beautiful buildings. It them; the influence which our common every-day must also not be forgotten that well-designed ar- surroundings have upon our character, our con- tistic houses in our city and neighbourhood bring ceptions, or habits of thought and conduct, are and keep wealthy residents, and give a good name very much underrated; we do not realise the great to the locality; whereas many ugly buildings now power they have of either aiding or hindering the detract from its beauty and healthiness. Those development in us of the best or worst of which tradesmen in many of our large towns who are not we are capable. The administration of drugs for behind the times are finding out and universally the cure of diseases is placed in the hands of duly admitting that quaint artistic houses attract the at- qualified practitioners; unfortunately the designing tention of passers by to their goods, which, other- and building of dwellings for human habitation wise, would often be passed by unnoticed. The has not that safeguard at present. The value of incalculable value of such houses and shops as beautiful houses in creating an artistic tempera- advertisements can hardly be over-estimated. Such ment in the general public and producing that joy places are never empty and command fancy rent- in beauty for beauty’s sake, without which no als. Evidently the injury of building ugly houses is masterpiece of art can be understood, is great. No not confined to itself, but by the influence of evil one who might add to the joy of life by building example, effects many of our latest buildings. something comely has the moral right to add to its Proprietors are (with a few exceptions) unable to gloom by building what is ill-looking; and it is discriminate between good and bad design on pa- truly said that Architecture is the poetry of ar- per and between seeming economy and practical rangement and construction, for good design is to economy, believing that if their buildings are de- building what religion is to life, what poetry is to signed (?) by a “professor,” who is sometimes a language, the indefinable and spiritual, and lifts us above commercialism. A German professor aptly of his creation.” And yet houses well designed let describes Architecture as “frozen music,” or har- and sell for fancy rents and prices, which the mony crystallised into form. All art is a powerful speculative Builders never command, and the pub- means of instruction, but no branch of it is so elo- lic forget that it is much cheaper to borrow money quent a teacher as that of Architecture; some at four per cent. and build, than pay landlord at the might urge that the teaching of art is the function rate of seven per cent., and have their rent raised of books, not buildings, but for every hundred when they have improved his property. If other persons who read books, thousands daily come people’s houses are taken it means putting up with under the spell and influence of “frozen music.” the fads and fancies of those who went before, and The works of a painter find their way into picture when the money spent in rent and on many altera- galleries and other places, where they can be seen tions is added up, they will find they could have only by a comparative few, but the Architect’s built better and more fit habitations for themselves work remains in the sight of all, to speak good or and their posterity. I am sure that in our rather evil of the man himself, and is thereby the means damp and depressing climate our health would be of displaying character without description. Our improved and our spirits cheered if the fronts and most beautiful buildings often spring from some roofs of our houses ceased to be of dingy materi- great thought demanding expression, or great als—Nature having coloured all her works we emotion yearning for sympathy, and then rouse in need not be ashamed of colouring ours. The Art- others the power to see truth and beauty. It only ist-Architect’s great responsibility lies in this, viz.: remains for the public to cultivate a sense of beau- every time he creates anything capable of bearing ty, and for those about to build to keep ever before the impress of true art instinct he brings into exist- them the great responsibility they have of adding, ence that which will have an influence upon all practically, everlasting beauty or ugliness to their who see it and will quicken or deaden in them this neighbourhood, and to carefully study the works high instinct. Architects have the high privilege of duly qualified Architects before they require that their art can be a great power for good, and their services, we should then obtain more favour- they must of necessity have done either harm or able names for some of our localities, and the good by their work, and unless they have done many ugly houses existing would but form a set- something which is beyond the conception of the ting (by their contrast) to show up the external ad- general run and great majority of our fellow- vantages of the new high-class houses. In our dull creatures, and which is a little more than they can English climate the importance of warmth of col- grasp, they have lived to no purpose. Virtue is not our in our houses, externally and internally, is far a negative quality in art; true art is the grandest too much overlooked, as is also the warmth in work of which a mortal can be capable, and winter and coolness in summer enjoyed by those through it alone can man advance to higher things living under tiled roofs, the latter especially when than those of which we are now capable. Wherein roofing houses in the “Queen Anne” or “half- this true art exists none but the Artist-Architect timbered” style, appearing like a glimpse of sun- can know, and he cannot tell to another what he shine on a dull winter’s day. The buildings which knows of it himself, it comes as an inborn instinct our forefathers put up generally adorned the land- and gift, and when he designs he seeks to let his scape, while for our own erections we generally soul speak in his work in silent homage to the One wait for them to be “run up” by some speculative from whom all good things emanate. Builder, and they are rarely designed for us by some Architect who “findeth joy in the perfection