THE HffARMONY OF COLOURS,
 these may be found useful in carpets containing much red      Bell; Mr.
Humphries; Mr. Harris; Mr. Templeton; Messrs.
 and green.                                                    Newcomb &
    Sons; Messrs. Jackson &      Graham; Messrs.
   IFrom the appearance of the coloured design on paper for a  Henderson
& Widnell; and Mr. Pugin.          Mr. Woodward
 carpet, it is scarcely possible to judge of its effects when  also, exhibits
a stair-carpet, which presents a very pleasing
 worked; for, as the weaver has no means of imitating the      arrangement
of quiet colours.
 softly blended tints of the original design except by stitches,  The French
exhibit some carpets and hearth-rugs of great
 which are in fact a succession of small squares, the transitions  beauty,
which are deserving of study for the harmony, and
 of colour (which are also dependent on the number of shades   contrast of
the colours, and the softness with which the
 to be employed) are necessarily more sudden and abrupt; different tints
and shades are blended. In the large carpet with
 and he cannot, as M. Chevreul observes, be said to copy the  the elegant
arabesque design the contrast of the deep rose colour
 design, but to translate it; the peculiar manner of weaving  with its complementary
pale warm green, is very beautiful and
 the carpet, and the want of the requisite number of shades   quite novel,
but the general effect of the carpet is too brilliant,
 and broken colours, preventing his imitating it with greater the eye requires
repose, and the introduction of a little more
 exactness. Much, however, will depend on the skill of the    of the quiet
semi-neutrals would have been a great improve-
 iweaver, and his knowledge of the principles of the harmony    ment.   The
coloured flowers on the large industrial carpet are
 and contrast of colours; the artist who makes the desi gn    exquisitely
wrought, the gradations of colour have all the
 then, is not chargeable with those abrupt transitions of harmony of the
natural flowers; but the general effect would
 Icolour, which so frequently shock the educated eye in the     have been
improved had the ground been of less positive colours.
 finished carpet.                                                The arrangement
on the wall of different breadths of
    These remarks do not of course apply to Mr. Whytock's      French carpets
is dictated by the same good taste for which
ipatent tapestry carpets, in which the wool being dyed of the  the French
are generally, distinguished. A    single breadth
1exact tint required by the coloured     design, all hardness  of carpet,
of two shades of dark crimson, dark green, or dark
occasioned by the want of intermediate tints-, is avoided, and  blue, is
contrasted with two breadths of carpet of floral design,
a rich effect is easily produced. lin this case the beauty of of the brightest
colours on whito grounds, the two breadths
the carpets depends upon the harmony, and contrast of colours  of the latter
being necessary to show the beauty, of the design.
in the design, and upon the accuracy with which the tints     The arrangement
produces the effect of light and shade.
are imitated by the dyer.*                                      The German
carpets are not, on the whole, equal in the har-
    The designs of the greater parb of the carpets exhibited   monious arrangement
of the colours to the French , there are,
 consist of a centre variously ornamented, surrounded with    nevertheless,
some which are excellent. A carpet of Belgian
 a border of a rich design.  Carpets of this description are not manufacture,
in which a claret-coloured ground is enlivened
 adapted for apartments mn which the furniture,, according to  by a design
in amber colour, relieved with a little white,
 the modern fashion, is disposed all over the room. The carpet lavender,
and coloured flowers, is very handsome.    In the
 is intended to be placed in the centre of the room, and no    Zollverein
department is a carpet by M. ~Dinglinager, which
 furniture but a table should be p laced on it ; the border has, also, a
good effect.  The good effect of a carpet, covered
 should be visible in its whole extent, except at the fire-place, with a
small design in red, dark blue, yellow, green, and
 where it is concealed by, the rug. The space beyond the       white, is
injured by the somewhat glaring colours of the
 ornamental border may be ifilled up with a earpet of quiet border, which'do
not harmonise with the centre.       Upon the
 colours, inlaid boards, or encaustic tiles, according to the  whole, some
of the richest effects of colours on carpets are
 purpose for which the room is designed, and on this the chairs those on
a claret-coloured or russet ground, enriched by a
 and other furniture should be placed. The effect of the rich  design in
oak colour, and enlivened by coloured       flowers.
 border would be entirely destroyed by, placing furniture on it. Claret,
or russet, is, in  general, a better colour for the
   These carpets suggest another observation. They are most extreme darks
of a carpet than black, for it harmonises with
 of them of gorgeous colourg.  In order therefore to preserve  colours partaking
of red, and it contrasts well with the cool
 a due harmony and balance of colours, the walls of au apart- colours. Black,
besides, being too cold, frequently presents
 ment containing one of these carpets should be covered with   too great
an opposition to the other colours.
 some quiet tints which harmonise with the colours of the        Although
the Turkey and Persian carpets do not emulate
 carpet; and the chairs and curtains should be of one uniform  ours in the
brilliancy of the colours, or the elegance of
 colour.                                                       the design,
they are generally, far superior to them   in the
   The selection and contrast of the colours of carpets are    harmonious
combination    of the colours. The     designs, if
 governed by the general laws relative to the contrast and     such they
can be called, are generally small, and the beauty
 harmony of colours.                                           of the carpet
consists chiefly in the arrangements of small
   Although the English carpets, as a class, are justly charged  portions
of colour, which are disposed rather with a view to
 with an inharmonious arrangement of colours, there are, their general harmony
than to the formation of any design.
 nevertheless, some to which this defect cannot be imputed; Occasionally,
however, an arabesque or geometrical pattern
 and which, as regards the disposition, and assortment of the  may be traced.
The prevailing colours are reds and greens,
 colours, are fully equal to those of any other nation. The    strengthened
occasionally with deep indigo blue, and enlivened
 limits assigned to this esssay do not permit a detailed       with a little
orange or yellow. The scale of colour comprises
    desripionof the best carpets; but I have great pleasure in  yellow of
two shades, orangre, red, crimson, and russet, two
    mentiningamong the most successful exhibitors of carpets   shades of
green, two of blu~e, black and white,-a sufficiently
 the names of Messrs. Wright, Crump, &       Crane; Messrs. extensive
scale to produce good and rich effects of colour,
 Tuberville &  Smith; Mr. Lapworth; Messrs. Watson &           where
a pictorial design   and chiaroscuro effects are not
                                                               attempted.
The colours in the Indian carpets are, perhaps,
    *In the Brussels carpets, wool of different shades and colours is employed,
brighter than in those of Turkey, and are contrasted with
 those required to produce the pattern being thrown upon the surface, while
the  great skill.  One carpet, in which the colours are very
 others are passed at the back; by this means more wool is used than is neces-beuilsofik.
om ofteIda       pryrcpt,
 smy, and, as the shades of colour are limited in number, the transitions
ofbeuilsofik   8m ofteIda        pryrcpt,
 colour are more abrupt. In the patent tapestry carpets, the wool is in one
with deep gold borders and fringes, are extremely rich; in
 continuous length, which, by exact calculation of the quantity of each tint
these, repose is obtained by making the rug of plain crimson
 that is required to complete the pattern, is dyed of various colours before
it is silk,-persons with less taste would have covered it with
 woven. The weaving of a carpet of this kind is, therefore, a simple process
; an ornament.
 the workman has nothing to do but to weave the tinted wool as it is delivered
 to him, and as in this kind of carpet, no wool is passed at the back, the
material  Among the French carpets is an imitation Turkey carpet,
 is economised. When the carpet is finished, the pattern is iin every respect,
which presents a very harmonious combination of colours.
 except in the square form of the stitches, equal to the painted design (provided
 Mr. Lapworth has, also, a Turkey, carpet, in which the colours
 that the calculations have been made correctly), and the gradations of colouer
are well arranged.
 may be as numerous and as complicated as those of the original.  The
 greatest nicety and accuracy is however required in making the calculations
 With regard to those libels on pictures, executed in Berlin
 of the different lengths of colour with which the wool is stained, any error
in  Wool, which are now unfortunately, so common, and some of
 tIs respect would of course distort the pattern.             which have
found their way into the Great Exhibition, it, is


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