Manual of design
During Mr Redgrave's long and active service in connexion with the Schools of Art and the foundation of the South Kensington Museum, from which he has so lately- retired, as well as in his appointed duties relating to the International Exhibitions in this country and in France, he was called upon to prepare numerous official reports.
On many occasions, also, he was required, when presenting medals and prizes to the Students, to address them on the course of their studies, and on the technical training of the designer. His reports and addresses defined and formulated many new principles of ornamental design, and contained various practical suggestions concerning the methods upon which his system of teaching had been founded. The chief of these documents which have been officially printed are:
1. Report on Design. Exhibition
2. Report on Design as applied to Manufactroes. Paris, 1855.
3. Report on Applications of Drawing and Modelling to the Common Arts. Paris, 1867.
4. Report on the present state of Design. Annual International Exhibition, 1871.
5. Evidence before the Commission, on the Government School of Design, 1847.
6. On the necessity of Principles in teaching Design, 1853.
7. Catalogue of Cabinet Work, Gore House, 1853.
The teaching of these reports has long been acknowledged as of recognised authority, and it has been. frequently proposed that the matter contained in them should be collated and published, as it would form a useful book of reference and a manual of the principles of design.
It has been more than once suggested to me to undertake the duty; but it was not until it was formally proposed to me, by the Lords of the Committee of Council on Education, that such a work should form part of the series of South Kensington Museum Art Handbooks, that I was led with some diffidence to see how far I might be able to do justice to this task, involving, as it did, the compilation of so large a portion of the thought and labour of my father's long official career.
I felt the more pleasure in attempting this work, from the gratification afforded to my father by their Lordships' selection of me, and from the assurances I received from him of his advice and assistance. In undertaking this compilation, I have confined myself almost wholly to his own words. Indeed, nearly all the matter might be placed in inverted commas. I have studied to arrange and bring together like things in the order and upon the plan which my father has in most cases pursued, to avoid the repetitions which would naturally arise in such a series of documents, and to omit only such matters as had local and temporary interest.
Some contents:
SECTION I.
The Principles of Ornament.
CHAPTER I.
Preliminary Remarks 3
CHAPTER II.
On the Source of Style 12
On the Source of Style 12
CHAPTER III.
On the Elements of Style arising out of Construction. 29
On the Elements of Style arising out of Construction. 29
'CHAPTER IV.
On Utility, which must be considered before Decoration. 36
On Utility, which must be considered before Decoration. 36
CHAPTER V.
On Fitness of the Ornament to the Material to which it is applied 43
CHAPTER VI.
On Unity of Style and Decorative subordination. . . 48
On Unity of Style and Decorative subordination. . . 48
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