UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES UNlVKteilTV 01 AT LOS ANGELES LIBRARY Hints on HOUSEHOLD TASTE. Opinions of the Press. ^ LONDON REVIEW. ' A valuable and useful handbook for any one who wishes to adorn his house with the quiet pleasures of artistic fitness and grace.' PUBLIC OPINION. ' " " Mr. EASTLAKE'S Hints are all of a practical character, and are addressed to the and those read his and general public j who agreeable pages, see the illustrations of furniture and domestic utensils, combining the elements of beauty with those of use, cannot fail to be won over to the views here advocated and insisted upon.' ATHEN^UM. ' We welcome such a book as that before us, which is written by a very competent and accomplished student, for the guidance of those who have yet to learn the rudiments of Art as well as others whose knowledge is imperfect. Mr. EASTLAKE discourses clearly and soundly of those crafts which supply furniture for entrance halls, dining-rooms, libraries, drawing- and also of rooms, bed-rooms ; wall-decorations, crockery, glass, plate, dress, and jewellery. His book is capitally illustrated by examples.' MORNING POST. ' This book will be found exceedingly useful by any person who is furnishing, and, when the house is furnished, this book will do for the drawing-room table if it has not been had recourse to too often. It is a very well got up book. The illustrations, most of which are executed by the Author, are very excellent, and afford proof that the principles which are spoken of in the text are thoroughly appreciated by the Author. They have in had their influence upon his work. It is, every sense, an excellent work.' EXAMINER. * The illustrations, a very important and interesting portion of the work, are judiciously selected and well executed. The book is addressed to it is an to induce to think more about the everyone ; really attempt people of the articles with which are surrounded it seeks to style they daily ; wean in their them from the silly habit of being guided purchases by the opinion of the shopman, who has his goods to sell, and who really knows little about them (for he neither made them nor designed them), and is ready to recommend each article in turn as he sees the eye of his customers attracted to it.' ' 5 *.' v 9 Hints on HOUSEHOLD TASTE. continued. Opinions of the Press BUILDING NEWS. to 'We think the work is well-timed, and calculated prove in those true of ornamental art which we practically useful spreading principles desire to see more widely understood and followed.' FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW. ' discussion ot Mr. EASTLAKE has opened a subject, the thorough domestic comfort as and more which might be quite as conducive to larger is an affliction to all but men of Important reforms. To most men furnishing exceed the considerable means it is a source of perpetual disgust. Nothing can into which we are ugliness of modern furniture, unless it be the houses obliged to put it.' DAILY NEWS. 'There are an increasing number of people in all classes who L. are desiring to live among more picturesque surroundings. Mr. C. EASTLAKE be of immense value to such has just published a handsome volume which will " persons, and will tend to increase their number. Hints on Household " Taste is a plea for the artistic furnishing of our houses, and a guide to such furnishing.' JOHN BULL. ' An appropriate gift-book to housekeepers or others about to furnish. The popular taste in this matter is something perfectly frightful, and needs better could be found sorely educating. No tutor than Mr. EASTLAKE ; and in this pleasant volume he reprints, with additions, the interesting papers in which he has published the Qjteen and London Review showing how houses 'may be picturesquely yet withal comfortably furnished.' WESTERN DAILY MERCURY. ' Manufacturers will not, of course, stock their warehouses with articles for which there is little demand but we have a to that ; right expect they should be in advance rather than in the rear of public taste. There are signs of improvement, and Mr. EASTLAKE'S work will help on the reformation. We are not surprised to hear that it has already obtained a large circulation. It should have a in place every gentleman's library, and we could wish that in a cheaper form it at future may some time be within the reach of ihe masses, and especially in the hands of art workmen and skilled artizans.' HOUSEHOLD TASTE LONDON: PRINTED BY SPOTTJSWOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUARE AND PARLIAMENT STREET Portion of a Cabinet, executed from a Design by Charles L. Eastlake. HINTS ON HOUSEHOLD TASTE IN FURNITURE, UPHOLSTERY AND OTHER DETAILS BY CHARLES L. EASTLAKF FELLOW OF THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS ' Parmi ces splendeurs i bon marche, ce faux gout et ce faux luxe, nous sommes ravis quand nous trouvons un bane bien fait, une bonne table de chene portant d'aplomb sur ses pieds, des rideaux de laine qui paraissent etre en laine, une chaise commode et solide, une armoire qui s'ouvre et se ferme bien, nous montrant en dedans et en dehors le bois dont elle est faite, et laissant deviner son usage. Esperons un retour vers ces idees saines, et qu'en fait de mobilier, comme en toute chose, on en viendra a comprendre que le gout consiste a paraitre ce que Ton est et non ce que Ton voudrait etre' VIOLLET-LE-DUC SECOND EDITION (REWSSI)} LONDON LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. 1869 3 323 .Art Library UK PREFACE. A FEW LINES in explanation of the object and origin of this book may not be out of place by way of preface to its contents. ' Some time ago a little essay of mine on The Fashion of Furniture,' which appeared in the ' Cornhill Magazine,' led to my being invited by ' the Editor of ( The Queen to write for that journal a series of articles on the same subject. Those articles, combined with others recently con- tributed to the ' London Review,' have formed, after considerable revision and additions, material for the present volume. The illustrations, which did not appear with the original text, are, with a few exceptions (for which I am chiefly indebted to the assistance of Mr. H. W. Brewer and Mr. E. J. Tarver), vi Preface. either drawn on wood by myself, or engraved, by Mr. C. Hancock's photographic process, from my sketches roughly executed, I fear, in some instances, but sufficiently accurate, I hope, to illustrate the character of design which I advocate. I might have wisried to add to their number, but this was impossible without materially in- creasing the cost of my book, and thus to some ex- its a tent interfering with object, which is, in word, to suggest some fixed principles of taste for the popular guidance of those who are not accustomed to hear such principles defined. For, though the question of style and design in art-manufacture has been from time to time treated in various works after a technical, a theoretical and an historical fashion, I am not aware that it has yet been discussed in a manner sufficiently practical and familiar to ensure the attention of the general public, without whose support, as every artist knows, all attempts in the direction of <es- thetical reform are hopeless. Preface. vii ' It is to supply this deficiency that my Hints on ' Household Taste are published : and if the virtuoso should find them wanting in antiquarian research, the scientific man in technical informa- tion, and the sentimentalist, in the poetry of art it must be remembered that I have neither desired nor attempted in the following pages to do more than show my readers how they may furnish their houses in accordance with a sense of the picturesque which shall not interfere with modern notions of comfort and convenience. I AVAIL MYSELF of the opportunity afTorded by the issue of a second edition to reply, in general terms, to some of the criticisms and suggestions which have appeared in reviews of my book by the r public journals. On the w hole I have no reason to complain of adverse comment, and indeed I am gratified to find not only that the question of ' ' Household Taste is considered worthy of serious discussion elsewhere but that opinions on the subject, which I have ventured to put forth, have viii Preface. been so generally understood and accepted by the press. It has indeed been objected that I have failed to notice certain practical efforts which have been recently made by educated designers in the field of art manufacture. To this I would answer, first, that such efforts have not hitherto, as it seems to me, been calculated either to improve or satisfy a popular taste in objects of common use, but have rather been confined to those examples of refined workmanship which are only within reach of the wealthy; and secondly that it would have been difficult to describe them in detail without entering a field on of criticism which it would be pre- sumptuous for me to occupy. Some of my critics have taken exception to what not they unjustifiably call my mediaeval pre- dilections, and as there are not a few people to whom the mention of very Gothic furniture is very naturally associated with everything that is incom- modious and pedantic, let me briefly explain what Preface. ix I had hoped would have been apparent to all who have read my book with attention, viz. : that I recommend the re-adoption of no specific type of ancient furniture which is unsuited, whether in detail or general design, to the habits of modern life.