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CHEMISTRY AS DEPICTED IN ART ADELINEH. JACOBS, GERMANTOWN HIGHSCHOOL, PHILADELPHIA, PA. The conventional row of portraits of distinguished chemists properly enough adorns the walls of many chemical laboratories and lecture rooms. Yet this display leaves much to be desired in producing a rich cultural background. A teacher of chemistry, with an appreciation of the fine arts, feels this lack keenly, especially after visiting the neighboring classrooms devoted to History, Latin, and English. In these rooms, copies of the art treasures from the Old World galleries find appropriate places and do much to aeate a decided cultural atmosphere. With a determination to introduce pictorial beauty into the chemical department, the science teacher will find that the fine arts have much to contribute to her scheme. The following suggestions are sufficient to show the interesting variety of pictures worthy of a permanent place in wall decoration. Once the way is pointed out, the teacher to whom this feature of her work appeals will be able to make her own selection and discoveries. A picture most fitting as a nucleus for the collection is "The Alchemist in His Workshop," in the Dresden Gallery, by David Teniers, the Younger. This is a different picture from the one on Page 11 of McPherson and Henderson's FIRST COURSE I N CHEMISTRY. A splendid Braun print can be purchased. The picture shows a hoary alchemist engrossed in his work, while his assistant, a cruder type of man, is seen in the background. The quaint interior is furnished with a clutter of old stoves, appliances and vessels used in a former era. The light in the picture is very artfully centered on the alchemist. High-school students are interested in the details of the picture, and in contrasting the difference in arrangement and equipment of their laboratory with the workshop of an alchemist of by-gone days. "Dalton Collecting Fire-Marsh Gas" was painted by Ford Madox Brown for a mural decoration in the town-hall of Manchester. This picture is more than merely a portrait of Dalton. He is seen, out in the country, collecting the gas from a stagnant pool by stirriig up the mud.
An assistant, in this case a farmer's boy, astride a log, catches the bubbles as they rise, in a wide-mouth bottle, having a saucer ready to close up the mouth under the water when full. A group of little girls, on the opposite bank, is looking on, wide-eyed a t the strange performance. This charming picture, so full of human interest, is attractive to students studying the Atomic Theory. Prints can be obtained from J. T. Chapman, Ltd., Albert Square, Manchester, Eng. Of an entirely diierent character from the realistic picture just described is the allegorical painting. Is i t not worth while that students appreciate the fact that Sciences, and specifically chemistry, may form pleasing subjects for pictorial art? The Seasons, Virtues, etc., have been used in decoration for so very long. Now the Sciences are coming in for recognition in art. A valid objection to allegorical pictures is that they usually need a lengthy description to elucidate their meaning. One should select only those pictures whose significance is fairly evident. Above all, avoid too many allegorical pictures. "Chemistry" by Puvis du Chavannes is a unit of the mural decorations of the Boston Public Library. A very fine hand-tinted photograph can be secured through the Employees Cooperative Society of the Library. A companion-piece to "Chemistry" is "Physics," of exceptional beauty. As these two are narrow panels, they look well framed together with a mat cut especially to fit them. Another admirable allegorical picture is "The Sciences" by Keuyon Cox, found in the Congressional Library in Washington. Copely prints of it are sold by Curtis and Cameron, Publishers, 12 Harcourt St., Boston. These panels are three feet long. In current magazines one may occasionally come across a picture worth framing. Usually the half-tones, run off by the thousands, are not fine enough for this, as they lack brilliancy in black and white tones or delicate gradations between these extremes. It is interesting to trace a desirable picture to its source and to secure a really good reproduction. In February 1919, an article appeared in The Liffle Jourxal, Page 1, on the retiring of the president of the New York Chemical Club. He was presented with a handsomely engraved silver salver, elaborately decorated with a border of alchemistic symbols. The article was illustrated with a half-tone of the salver. Here was a half-tone of value. A printer's proof, better than the p r i n t k the magazine, was secured through the courtesy of the editor. The border was cut out, and in the center was inserted a paper bearing the words "Alchemistic Symbols" and the names of the symbols, to correspond with them in the border. The printing was done in fancy red and black lettering. A little red ink was used to set off the symbols from the decorated background.
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When mounted and framed, the result was certainly unique and attractive. The students are frequently seen studying the details of this picture. A quotation from the writings of any of the great chemists is appropriate for a wall decoration. The quotation should be treated like the conventional motto, i. e., lettered and illuminated in colors and gold. The Art Department might cooperate with this project. The selection of the quotation takes some browsing among books. The name of the chemist and the dates of his birth and death should accompany the quotation; as
1742--SCHEELE-1786 There is no delight like that which springs from a discovery; it is a joy that gladdens the heart.
"Fine prints and frames cost money," you teachers say. Yes; but the money may come as gifts from the Science Club or the graduating classes!
