2-750-509 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

'Mural decoration of a gallery-hall abutting on a garden', Leipzig, Germany, (1928). '1798..."At the side of the house abutting on the garden there are often long gallery halls or Salae terrenae ornamented towards the garden by long French windows and doors leading straight into the garden. The other side of the hall has no windows. Now in order to provide a counterpart of the real view afforded by the garden it is advisable to paint the wall in the manner shown in our illustration. The delicate reed stalks with the arabesques inspire the imagination and, together with the landscape in the background, conjure up foreign and strange scenes. The effect, if the work is executed by a skilful painter is quite unexpected. The pattern may also be recommended as a tasteful theatre decoration".' Plate CXII, fig 209, from "An Encyclopaedia of Colour Decoration from the Earliest Times to the Middle of the XIXth Century" with explanatory text by Helmuth Bossert. [Ernst Wasmuth Ltd., Berlin, 1928]