NE of the engaging and very personal qualities of art objects, of works of art in any medium, is just now brought into evidence again in New York, incidental to the removal of an old-established art house, following the inevitable Gotham trend, to a house further up "the Avenue." It is the quality or character or characteristic that makes an intimate impression, and leads to a desire to repossess, if in the course of events ownership has been relinquished. These two "Guardians of the Threshold" are comparatively young for their kind, dating back only about two hundred years. They are of cloisonné in a wonderful blue, gigantic in size, and sufficiently fierce in aspect to frighten away even the evil spirits if need be. The threshold over which they now stand T is now possible to greatly extend the MAN, bringing the readers of this magazine, and the members of the Art Society of America, into closer touch with our advertisers through this and other service departments. Architects will advise on the design, construction, decoration and furnishing of small or large residences and co-operate with local architects and decorators in this work. guard faces upper Fifth Avenue where an unceasing procession of human beings young and old passes by quite unconscious that fearsomeness is so near. How good it would seem to believe now and then in the protecting power hidden within some image of strength and might, to feel that no harm could come, no evil spirits try their power while the great lions stood at your gateway. One cannot but envy the simple faith that moved the craftsmen of these great works to put the best of their art into these figures. For prompt assistance, address Nearly two years ago, or on February 7, 1916, sitting in the American Art Galleries, Mr. E. I. Farmer was the successful bidder of a pair of gigantic Fulions which were in the Yamanaka Oriental collection of that winter. Visitors to his galleries at 5 West 56th Street who have seen them there will now miss them, for Yamanaka and Company have bought them back again, paying an agreeable profit to place them in their new establishment next to St. Thomas's Church. The Yamanakas, entering a new home which is to be Oriental, wanted these "guardians of the threshold" to maintain the established order, as they are used in temples and in nobles' houses and gardens in China, where their traditional function is to warn away evil influences. In paying an advanced price the Yamanakas were but compelled by the laws governing worthy works of art here, which appreciate with a consistent regularity. The lions are the largest ever brought to this country, and came from a Peking palace yard. The Yamanakas wanted them again, and Mr. Farmer allowed them to have them. Cloisonné is an art that is fast slipping away from the Japanese. It requires a lifetime to be skilful at it and the true master of the art must begin his craft at a very early age to bring it to perfection by the time he has come to manhood. One cannot think how these great figures could have been constructed in so difficult a medium but with the beliefs which were held by the Japanese craftsman of two hundred years ago, no work of the hands, no toil of the brain were too much to lavish upon these fierce images who were to stand forever as protecting spirits for the home. To us they are THE GIGANTIC FU-LIONS GUARDIANS OF all revivals of historic furniture types none seems destined to fill so welcome a place as the Jacobean refectory table. The refectory table was originally a dining-table, but has come into wide favor as the ideal table for any large living-room, library or studio. This example shows the richly carved bulbous legs. True to the period, this great table is staunchly built of oak. |