§ 6.—THE DISGUISED ARTIFICIALITY TREATMENT.
In this method the student was taught to sketch out what he considered to be good Curves and Spirals; and then (i) to bend the selected plant so that its stem might coincide with them, regardless of its own proper natural growth; or (ii) to deck out the first drawn spirals with the leaves and flowers of the selected plant.
With regard to the first of these practices: it is much more foolish than the Analysis method; and is little short of blasphemy against the Great Designer. He has determined how each plant shall grow: how, within limits of cultivation, its stems and branches shall separate, each to seek its own share of air and sunshine; how its leaves shall stand erect or droop, each according to its function; and always in perfect beauty. And further: how each family of plants shall have its own method of branching; which is as much a part of its character and often of its beauty as are the Flowers and Leaves.
The second practice, which generally produces a result similar to the first, is quite as unthinking. It is more often practiced; and is responsible for many of the labored and uninteresting designs which are common. If the Pattern-artist deck-out the old worn-out and common place spirals with leaves and flowers borrowed from Nature—the result is like the "voice of Jacob and the hands of Esau;" it is merely a Disguise of Artificiality.
An example of this method is given in Fig. 3. It was generally practiced in Germany; and books like "Das Vegetabile Ornamente," by K. Krumbholz, show it at its best.
FIG. 3
If this treatment were universally followed—there would soon be an end to design with natural foliage. The spectator might observe one border which appeared to be a Rose, another a Tulip, the third a Thistle, and the fourth a Fuchsia; and, on examination, discover that these were not Rose, Tulip, Thistle, and Fuchsia; but merely that very artificial old friend—the Spiral-scroll—in disguise.
An apologist for this method remarks:—" ... In such matters as the ramification of plants, ... nature is always making angles and elbows [sic] which we are obliged, in decorative treatment, to change into curves for our purpose;...". This opinion needs only to be applied to animals in order to exhibit its absurdity; and with regard to plants, it will be seen that this tampering has not even the poor merit of success.