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The "Ain'd and. Cisai-ts" Movement in*.
Mkiaiouuxe.
Mr. J. Tranthim Fryer. Help
Mr. J. Tranthim Fryer.
Ruskin, despite his many idiosyncrasies, exer
cised a "potent influence on 0110 of the moat far
reacbing artistic movements of recent times, the
revival of the "Arts and Oralis." 'the middle Vic
torian period was a timo of artistic desolation,
and the modern llenaissauoe was brought about
chiefly hy the efforts ol' three men - Aiuskin, llos
fiotti, and William Morris. Here was an attempt
to muko every-duy life beautiful, to replace shoddy
ninohinc-nmdo goods by works of fine craftsman
ship, and to revive the ideals of the Middle Ages.
For sumo time these men were looked npon as
wild dreamers, but "William 'Morris showed that,
a keen sense of business oould he allied to high
artistic aspirations. "Morris pottery," "Morris
elmirs," " Morris wall'papers " soon became immen
sely popular, and the. buttle then was half won. The
movement spread rapidly and to-day the English
"Arts and Craft'i '* schools and exhibit ions attract'
students from alt parts, of the •world. Men like
Unrno-.Tc>nos, Walter ('rune, Moirn "ud Jenkins,
Eiokcrstnft Brothel's and counties- others have
carried on the good work; and thci, is no doubt
but that this movement, which must appeal to all
classes of the community, should-'find an ■excellent
hold in Molbourne.
For some months past Mr. TrantViiin-Fryer lias
been working quietly ••and'producing finely-model-'
led works in various materials, but > aoeiully ill
.mobul, that have attracted the att>; ■ : i<,n (,f at
loast the artistic parti of the comma :v. hese
works have,been 0110 of the most uttrne < • ,,, ,.os
of tho tooout exhibitions. p. -Thau Mr. dhini
Fryer there'is no greater aut hority on ■: c nr.stir
sido of. decoration in Melbourne, and his < bi,,;, r..
011 this important, subject arc both iutm .-1 tS,;
valuable.
Mr. Fryer is found • working in his siudi.i Y.., i
oiis works, in. many luntorinlH. adorn the mum,
which Is, however, mount as a placu ic ■, ml. ic.'
i\rr. Fryer.is not only one of the re|nwnlulive
trtlsts of .Ylotorin, i.but;'also a louder Jn a ncw
trfi movement, Ho has just executed a portrait
u motui of Mir. ill.. ..'131 lory.,;.and. tho memorial tub
al)' of U10 .MiohuollH vVVurd " of I lm OhildroVi'H
I'oEfpiUtl, Ho has u particular " pojicliu 111. " for t il
; . Iri metal work., though he is also fond of
. ' J. ,;,i thinks tliat " terra-cotta " should be inc.
. ,i material of Victoria. Mr. Fryer is sir
In every way; be is a brilliant Cellist, an .
int e ve.-t iug lecturer on art, and one of the most
r- mhil men in Melbourne.
* # .*
Mr. Fryer was horn in Tasmania, and soon
evinced a desire to become an artist. After study
in,,- i„ the colonies for some- time lie married Miss
iiceohcrvaise, of Ballarat, and Mr. and Mrs. Fiyor
then proceeded to London to finish their studies.
.Seldom have two young Australians ever achieved
such a splendid record. Mrs. Fryer completed n
brilliant musical course, and now occupies a lugli
position at- the University Conscrvatorium of Mu
sic. Mr. Fryer obtained a three years' scholar
ship at the famous Lamlieth School, which lias
produced more notables sculptors than any school
in IJritain. Mr. .Fryer's work was so excellent,
that bis scholarship was renewed for a further
period of three years. And, during this latter
period, Mr. Fryer secured what no other student
had ever accomplished before, or has'since—this
is, three first prizes for different works in the
one year. On of his original compositions, was,..
bought by the visiting master, Mr. Fraiiipton, one .■
of the greatest sculptors in England.
During part of Ibis period .Mr. Fryer worked,
in the studio of the well-known sealptor, Mr. On-,
slow Ford, who died only a few months ago. Here
lie assisted Mr. Ford in sonic of his greatest works,
and ni.ude-Trapi-d-.pivigress in his own art. He work-'
c^alilo^V.utTi-'iiSiT/.Fa^impton and with other noted
^seufpthrs. TUFbIAtvI Jj\ before his death Mr. On
kkrw FnriVwgulfWJjIy dorrWponded with Mr. Fry civ
fls\lio~ filuL 4lwuy» tkFeu. a great interest in his
FN"
Vg%j - s ^r^y/
n
Mr. and Mrs. Fryer moved in the .most artistic
circles in London, and could include among their
personal friends Onslow Ford,; Gilbert,- Swan,
Watts, Fraiiipton, '.Phornyeroft, Max 0'11-ell, Hcr
komer, and many oilier celebrities. It is doubtful
if uny oilier city than London can gather together
so many men eminent in art and music and litera
ture.
Mr. •' ryor has many pleasant recollections''o
London. .He remembers a very interesting visit In
paid, along with Onsiow Ford,, to Hubert Her
kouters remarkable bouse. "■ Hcrkcnner is tui hs
tonisliing num. .lie F original in everything
Whenever lie wants n.-'hing, that will be out o
the common, lie invents it'-'himself. 3C ho wouh
only direct his talent-. i„ (wo direction, he wouic
produce somchin, .a Hy gVL.;lt> 0iib1(jw For(
unc . onie a cut ml ; egothor to his house a
mslicy. .lien he 1, ,L i plendid studios for lib
>»»»y P"pilH, and the house itself is the o.xprcssio,
> three general ion, ,1 Herkomers. Going out i,
U,t' tnUU P"1* -Fetus smoke all the w.n
7' lt'1' Jlt:'1:u,ul »' - nilti-tobaeeonist,'
ground- .it Ihishev
T1
beautiful, but the celebrr
kind/, I i Vl' ow" ncti,,rcl- Me lias u
A,f», , f, '"".r;- "'""Uy Lvcnoa l.y
« ^ v"™»'
Tlerkumer said' • i ' ^u^'tu:eh' After diiim
«'OJ>! no, I i!"' fco'8«rpriK0 you, Ford
Hint voir do vill yo" .to° J<mg, Nothin
'Oonui ami ££ 7^7,^^
'11,c "rcloriS mo"l
; lino •»■»«*
* >* ■ : v'vitF
All. .Fryer on limit bu Hui'iuissefl {,■ i,,ir ' '-v
"«fc »o-lu,vo Ins portrait ]lnjW,,WH t,'°
w«n
***11 -I'luuh's and Allied (fill i" JI1l'(,l'no liclweei
-«h Ht"'"
" Kliodes and G ilbert ate both c I ' '
men, and .111011 of simile- cletermiuJj, \,>•
camo to England with :f ■ .,,uU0 1() t/'
statue,that was to be en- tod in South
II . '"'l SC
was told that Gilbert wa- the greats
or ill England, so 37 hod.m visited his ,/
day, explained his plans and asked GiluJ
a design for him. Gilbert did so, a)Hj
a beautiful work of art. Ithodes call
and looked at the design. 'its vervpfc
said, 'bat it is not quite what 1 want' (',/]
alter it a little.' Tins was enoindi *
' Do yon know tlio Enstim lloadr' Gi
Ithodes replied that he did. 'You will fop
monumental masons there. Tliev will
kind of work you want. Good-day."
Mr. Fryer thoroughly enjoyed Ilia life
don. llo made a great name for
distinguished student, and met most «f ne,
who were worth knowing. .II0 has nv at^
to the " city of tlio great smoke."
'' I have also paid frequent visits to 1';®
for recreation and for instruction. 1
French are the greater .sculptors since Hit
.suitcc, and they excel also in all kinds uf at
craftsmiinship. They ran do almost anytliii;
their hands. "What I noticed particularlyj
Paris was thc entire absence of alleviation01
a-eiitionality in tlio greatest artists. Ike
dud-of" the greatest sculptors of the day goist
a-holiday in the country with somv. «f his,
dents. '-'Though ho had obtained the l.vgia
Honour, he thought nothing of witting 011 tk
of a"cab, waving a- little flag, and siiigii'i
latest music hall songs, just like one nfliisp;.
-Slush a sight •.would never be soon in Londis.1
tho French public is genuinely artistic. Out;
at tlio' ' Salon/ the judges failed to nwnnlth;
medal to a picture by Ihisticu Lc-Pagv, Ihdi
■work of the year. Bat each day the |inWicf!i
a laurel wronth over this picture as apt

; -ffi

• judges' decision. The French is the

1:'1ccs S1U'11 a t,coP interest in .vrt."
<">ll <>n niiy of tlio great French seulp
"Rod in's studio two or three times, and

I consist Ib'din tlio greatest sculptor of modern
'timesff|p?o look a very kindly interest in my work.

..•^ft'e^^Sking in tlie luxurious -and-perfectly-fitted'

ap Biw^p oi Onslow Ford, I was staggered at the
hftireif^^s of Rodin's workshop. It could not be
,caiio'a^ffisiiidi<i. It was like a bam, and devoid
of"alifpifamrithitioii. Certainly lie 'possessed one
hcaii)^rap.1nl>le, but it was covered witli bis work
'■iiigfffljiK :|ii(l various oilier odds and ends. Ro

din! fttpdie first; glance, appears like a. retired

11cii I remarked on the beauty of bis

•wprfc^^replied. ' Well, I ought to be able to- cut

luarbieiW'lt is my trade.' Rodin began as. an or
dimiry^oin-rntler.

some splendid advice about working
l: a ill i(|iie.' 'Study, but do lint; .copy the
Mid In Nature and interpret, her for -your-,
sall, t ben compare your interpretation with

lliiit'"'qlMlic great, ancient masters.; In. that way
yon ynyHuearn I lie sjiirit of the antique.' Rodin

is one of tlie moat interesting men that I have
over met. Ono day, before 3! had scon T'odi 11, I
•went into a cafe for refreshments. Two men came
in, one short, thick-sot man, in a workman's blouse,
and the other, a handsome man, halt Greek, half
Italian, who was a hit of a dandy. "While the
dandy had a cup of coffee and a roll,-the man in
tho "blouse sat on tho table, smoking- a cigarette
and laughing with the girl. "When the visitors
had departed, tho girl asked me if I knew who
they were. I said that I thought one of them was
an ordinary workman. 'That's Rodin,' she replied,
£ and the gcnjdJ^wlwu^miaii is his model.' They

always c(i^fm^^rCj^^hr/TlJl>s^iddlo of-a sitting.'

" \\ni^^,WTd"~3i7^Th^t.lnij/JIS.was coming out to
Australia?' ho fcurtyh.^!"ive y<*:vi;^tliere will do you
a lot of WfDcJ-, ftft hjivo-jV^-lhird time, for you
may not\d^nhlerstoud,' tuicajpij l>y the artists, but
you will hc^^^^^V^ninp-'iTt ttjitj/i'uid of the time.'

So Rodin kuin\C4^r[l2^'lia'*^li a. was not a great

country for art, though it was a good country for
an artist. lint most of our best artists are very
enthusiastic- in this belief that an interest in art

.'generally, and particularly in the ' Arts and

Crafts' movement will soon he awakened.

>:<• e >»

Mr. Fryer believes that there is a great Held

ill Melbourne for nil tbe decorative arts. Tlio "Arts
and. Crafts" movement in London lias produced
magnificent results. " I. think that tlie decorative
is the highest form of art. AVhat were Phidias and
Michael An gel o • but sublime decorators? There
is almost a virgin field in Victoria for mural and
plastic decorations. Pine art may be applied not
only to a palace; but to a cottage or a lamp-post."'
Mr. Fryer tliinks tliat the public would take a
great interest in this kind of work. Lectures,
by experts in their various departments, should
1j:i nwro frequently delivorod. If a man, with
sack qualifications as Mr. Fryer possesses, were ap
pointed Director at a. " School of Arts and Crafts,"
established at the Workingman's College, or the
Victorian Artists' Society, much artistic benefit
would be. reaped by the community. " Hut they
manage these things better" in France." Raskin
once said that-as experiments wore made ill every
possible direction except the right one, it was al
most.a mathematical naccssity that Aim right di
rection should'be chosen at last." Wo have travel
led along different roads in the world of Austra
lian art; but it seems that we have not yet chosen
the light one. But th? right course may no dis
covered soon, for in u young country all things arc
possible, even the growth and development of art

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