An overabundance of mediocre to just plain bad decorative painting has somewhat soured the design profession and the general public to a great degree. But special painting, ranging from simple glazing to
trompe l'oeil, can provide a layer of interest in a very personal and unique way. In this example by the late Robert Jackson, the artist incorporated a variety of techniques to decorate the walls of a dining room of an architectural project of mine in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, decorated by Bunny Williams. Robert took my design for pilasters that provided the framework for a new bay window in this room and a new breakfast room adjacent, and gave a decorative rhythmic layout to the otherwise plain dining room. While the lower panels are consistent in design as a
trompe l'oeil panel with vines of morning glories, the upper panels are each a different romantic landscape view. The overall effect, like the rest of the house, is one of charming sophistication. There is a formality without stiffness, a trademark of Mr Jackson's work. For eight years in the 1950s, Mr Jackson developed his technique in England working for the legendary Oliver Messel and John Siddeley. Robert Jackson enjoyed a long career of decorative painting, usually commissioned by noted New York City designers who appreciated his versatility and his knowledge of various styles and periods, especially 17th and 18th century French and Italian paintings.
I have been fortunate to have had several phases of architectural design work to improve this stone Georgian Revival style house from the 1930s on a lovely site on a private road out the Main Line from Philadelphia. (And I have been even more fortunate to have helped with additional residences for this couple as well, all beautifully decorated by Bunny). This is the clients' primary home and my association was made even more a pleasure because both the husband and the wife were so involved and interested in the project, a situation that is not always the case. Working on this wonderful house with Bunny, Robert, and fabulous clients was a treat for the devoted classicist.
The photo by Tom Leigton appears in the book
Modern Murals, Grand Illusions in Interior Decoration by Caroline Cass, published by Whitney Library of Design.
haha! i lived in a house where the owners allowed one of their children's friends to paint a mural, allegedly of the horse country outside of baltimore. the poor child was talented, but had never done anything on that scale, so the horses were about 3 inches tall. also, they did it in acrylic paints slatered on. when a mural is good....
ReplyDeleteMeg, this was done in acrylic as well, but thinned as layered washes. As always recommended for plaster, the walls were canvassed before painting to avoid cracking. That also allows it to be removable, should that need ever arise.
ReplyDeleteI used to stay in a Victorian hunting lodge in Inverness-shire owned by the family of my best friend from school. The billiard room was decorated with charcoal drawings of highland scenes purportedly by Landseer. As the work was applied directly to the plastered walls the great fear was that it would all disappear in time, and of course it was not possible to redecorate the paint work, for fear of harming the charcoal drawing. I suppose today you could cover it over with acrylic.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! The decorative painting by Allyn Cox in the Reid/Shutze Pink Palace here in Atlanta is stunning in person. Unfortunately, some of the original work was removed.
ReplyDeleteThe mural Helen mentioned at the Calhoun-Thornwell house in Atlanta were a shock to me, dark, monochrome, archaic. Never saw anything like it, not in a "home" anyway. It was unexpected and overwhelming to me. I'll probably not get another chance to see and grok. Helen has a good picture in this post the 3rd picture down.
ReplyDeleteTerry, I have not seen the mural featured on Helen's site in person, but it might be a little dirty, especially in an entrance hall location. The monochromatic painting in shades of gray is drop-dead chic, and referred to as "grisaille" after the French word for gray, "gris".
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by and commenting on my blog. Have a Happy New Year and make sure you throw the water out the BACK door!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to send you an E-mail with some questions, but I can't find your address.
ReplyDeleteI've always been a fan of Jackson's work. He 'gets' it, in the tradition of Cox Whistler, et al.
ReplyDeleteIt must be mural week on the blogosphere. Of five posts I've planned for this week and next, 3 touch on murals. Go figure.
Wonderful picture.
I left a comment previously, but it may have been lost in the wash?
ReplyDeleteI was saying I remember a charcoal mural on all four walls of the billiard room of a Victorian Scottish Hunting Lodge, which was owned by the parents of my best friend from school, and where we stayed occasionally for short holidays.
The images were of Highland scenes and were purportedly by Sir Edwin Landseer. The problem with them of course was that the room could never be redecorated because that might damage the drawings.
Nowadays you could do something quite clever with a perspex cover, as they do in an historical site.
One has seen too much awful "tromp loy" painting over the years, and I was quite happy to see the dreadful practitioners of it move on to something else when the broader craze for it died, thankfully. I have the good fortune to know of several houses nearby with Mr. Jackson's work in them, and he was certainly a master at it. I had no idea he studied with Oliver Messel. Fascinating. Good trompe l'oeil painting can be marvelous, indeed. I particularly like the work of Graham Rust.
ReplyDeleteReggie, I was introduced to Graham Rust about 23 years ago at an exhibition and sale of his original renderings at Stubbs Books in New York City. As I recall, the framed works were in the $3,000 to $4,500 price range, really out of the question for me as I was establishing my office at the time. But I have all of Mr Rust's books and just recently referenced one to show a client this designs for custom decorated porcelain dinnerware.
ReplyDeleteColumnist, comments do not necessarily come to me in order, for reasons unknown to me. Also, they do not necessarily come in a timely manner, so your patience is particularly appreciated.
ReplyDeleteColumnist, please remember that art conservation is best left to the professional. Many problems with murals come from behind the wall, so consideration should always be given to avoid trapping moisture.
ReplyDeleteM Frilund, I enjoyed our correspondence and hope you'll keep me informed of your progress. I am a fan of your always interesting blog.
ReplyDeleteI hope this project was the pure pleasure it sounds. I'm enjoying your blog.
ReplyDeleteI hope this project was the pure pleasure it sounds. I'm enjoying your blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks, John. I am still getting my blogging feet, you might say, and I am hoping the blog will only get better as it goes along.
ReplyDelete