Denman Ross and American Design Theory

353 Pages·2011·6.025 MB·English

by  Marie Frank

DENMAN
|oSS
and
AMERICAN
DESIGN
THEO|y
MA|iE F|aNK
DENMAN |oSS AND
AMERICAN DESIGN
THEO|y

MARIE F|aNK
DENMAN |oSS
AND
AME|i CAN DESIGN
THEO|y
university press of new england
Hanover & London
University Press of New England
www.upne.com
∫ 2011 University Press of New England
All rights reserved
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data appear
on the last printed page of this book.
5 4 3 2 1
CONTENTS
List of Illustrations vi
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
1. Formative Years 18
2. The Theory of Pure Design 53
3. Science, Psychology, and Formalist Aesthetics 103
4. Geometry, Pure Design, and Dynamic Symmetry 135
5. Ross’s Course at Harvard 172
6. Teaching the Theory of Pure Design:
Art Educators, Artisans, and the Public 215
Epilogue 243
Appendix: Letter from Denman Waldo Ross to John Walker 255
Notes 259
Bibliography 287
Index 305
Color plates appear after page 178.
ILLUST|aTIONS
figures
i.1. Denman Ross, A Theory of Pure Design (1907), figure 35 1
i.2. Wasily Kandinsky, 9 Points in Ascendance 2
i.3. John Singer Sargent, Portrait of Dr. Denman Waldo Ross 14
i.4. Denman Ross, Self-Portrait 15
1.1. George Birtwistle, ‘‘Dye Recipe Book’’ 21
1.2. Arthur Mackmurdo, Three Arches in the Wall, Santa Maria Novella,
Florence 33
1.3. Charles Moore, San Barnaba, Venice 34
1.4. Denman Ross, Tower of the Frari and Other Buildings 35
1.5. James Abbott McNeill Whistler, The Riva, No. 2, from the Second Venice
Set 40
1.6. Joseph Lindon Smith, North Portal of Baptistery, Parma, Italy 49
1.7. Denman Ross, design motifs 51
2.1. Denman Ross, A Theory of Pure Design, figure 62 55
2.2. Walter Smith, Teacher’s Manual for Freehand Drawing in Intermediate
Schools, 97 58
2.3. Johann Pestalozzi teaching a group of children 61
2.4. Friedrich Froebel, Pedagogics of the Kindergarten, plate V 63
2.5. Bradley’s occupation material for the kindergarten 64
2.6. Edward Wiebe, The Paradise of Childhood, 181 65
2.7. Bradley’s kindergarten material 66
2.8. Lewis Day, Anatomy of Pattern, plates 2 and 4 73
2.9. Arthur Wesley Dow, Composition, 17 75
2.10. Arthur Wesley Dow, Composition, 26 76
2.11. Arthur Wesley Dow, Composition, 48 77
2.12. ‘‘New Public Library, Boston,’’ photograph by John S. Johnston 79
2.13. Denman Ross, A Theory of Pure Design, figure 77 85
2.14. Denman Ross, A Theory of Pure Design, figures 156 and 160 86
2.15. Denman Ross, A Theory of Pure Design, figure 203 87
2.16. Owen Jones, The Grammar of Ornament, plate XV 90
2.17. Ogden Rood, Modern Chromatics, figure 104 93
vi
2.18. Denman Ross, ‘‘A Theory of Tone Relations: Color, Intensities,
Neutrality, Values’’ 94
2.19. Denman Ross, ‘‘Problem: Produce the Tone’’ 95
2.20. Albert H. Munsell, Atlas of the Munsell Color System, color chart ‘‘C’’ 98
2.21. Denman Ross, ‘‘Tones Charted in the Shape of a Spiral’’ 100
3.1. David R. Hay, Original Geometrical Diaper Designs, 10 106
3.2. David R. Hay, Original Geometrical Diaper Designs, plate 11 107
3.3. An opthalmotrope 112
3.4. William James, Principles of Psychology, figures 61–63 115
3.5. Denman Ross, A Theory of Pure Design, figure 137 116
3.6. Denman Ross, George Santayana 117
3.7. Denman Ross, A Theory of Pure Design, figure 230 125
3.8. Denman Ross, A Theory of Pure Design, figure 232 126
4.1. Samuel Colman, Nature’s Harmonic Unity, plate 45 137
4.2. A reproduction of Rubens’s Descent from the Cross overlaid with
Maratta’s web of equilateral triangles 139
4.3. Student assignment, ‘‘Scheme for the Court of a Dwelling’’ 142
4.4. Denman Ross, Jay Hambidge 143
4.5. Construction of root rectangles 145
4.6. Diagrams of whirling squares and spiral 146
4.7. Using the whirling square rectangles to establish rhythmic themes in a
composition 146
4.8. Greek black-figure kylix measured according to dynamic
symmetry 147
4.9. Edward B. Edwards, Dynamarhythmic Design, plate V 152
4.10. Christine Herter’s diagram for The Kneisel Quartet 156
4.11. George Bellows’s diagram for Elinor, Jean and Anna 157
4.12. Denman Ross, drawing of a woman in profile 159
4.13. Claude Bragdon, The Beautiful Necessity 163
4.14. Claude Bragdon, Projective Ornament, illustration preceding
chapter 5 167
4.15. Denman Ross, ‘‘A Composition Based on the Directions of the
Hexagon’’ 168
5.1. Charles H. Moore, Intensity Studies 174
5.2. Denman Ross, A Theory of Pure Design, figure 229 175
5.3. Charles F. Kelley and William L. Mowll, A Text-book of Design, figure 16 179
5.4. Courtlandt Van Brunt, drawing of a balustrade 182
List of Illustrations : vii
5.5. Kenneth Conant, an analysis of Rubens’s Abduction of the Daughters of
Lycippus 185
5.6. Photograph of Ross Exhibition Room, ‘‘New Fogg’’ 187
5.7. Length of velvet 189
5.8. William Sumner Appleton 197
5.9. Fiske Kimball with Sir Edwin Lutyens 202
5.10. Henry-Russell Hitchcock looking at a drawing with a student 204
5.11. John Nolen, ‘‘Venice, FL General Plan’’ 207
5.12. H. Van Buren Magonigle, Architectural Rendering in Wash, plate 20 208
5.13. Robert C. Spencer Jr., Adams house 213
6.1. Pliny [Frederick Daniels], ‘‘Balance II’’ 222
6.2. Ernest Batchelder, Principles of Design, plate XXII 226
6.3. Ernest Batchelder, Principles of Design, plate XIV 227
6.4. Ernest Batchelder, Principles of Design, plate XL 228
e.1. Faculty members of Harvard’s department of fine arts 245
plates
Plates appear after page 178.
1. William Sumner Appleton, homework assignment, 1907
2. Josef Albers, On the Way, 1959
3. Denman Ross, Details of Belt Course, Duomo, Verona
4. Denman Ross, Harbor Scene
5. Denman Ross, Stern of Steamer, At Sea
6. Denman Ross, Assouan, Egypt
7. Denman Ross, Harbor, Palermo
8. Claude Monet, Ships in a Harbor
9. Arthur Wesley Dow, View Across Rooftops to Marsh, Dory, and Little Venice
10. Zulma Steele, desk
11. Denman Ross, Palette for Portrait of Erik H. Gould
12. Denman Ross, Erik H. Gould
13. George Bellows, Evening Group
14. Albert H. Munsell, ‘‘The Color Tree: A Measured Type of All Colors’’
15. John Singer Sargent, Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose
16. Tapestry woven square dress ornament
17. Elizabeth Copeland, candlestick
18. Batchelder Tile Company, square tile
viii : List of Illustrations
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
One of the pleasures of this project has been the opportunity to work with
colleagues who so willingly shared their expertise and time. Librarians and
archivists all seem to have a special gene that inspires them to go beyond the
call of duty in ferreting out information and following up on very specific
(and often very tedious!) questions. My thanks must begin with Susan Von
Salis, Curator of Archives at Harvard Art Museums, and her two assistants
over the years, Abigail Smith and Jane Callahan. Their knowledge of the
collection—which contains Ross’s papers, diaries, and teaching materials—
and cheerful support made the time I spent at the archives one of discovery
and pleasure. The staff at Harvard University Archives similarly always re-
sponded promptly and professionally. Jeanne Solensky brought a welcome
sense of humor during my research at the Winterthur Museum and Library,
and Helena Richardson graciously oversaw my requests for images from rare
books and periodicals. Paul Dobbs and Richard McElroy of the Massachu-
setts College of Art shared their knowledge of Albert Munsell with me;
Richard kindly spent an afternoon setting up Munsell’s spheres and color
tree so that I might photograph them. Susan K. Anderson at the Philadelphia
Museum of Art Archives led me through the voluminous Fiske Kimball
Papers and helped me locate the photograph of Kimball included here.
Maureen Melton at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston helped me track
down dates and events. At my own institution, the University of Massachu-
setts Lowell (UML), I would have been lost without the help of Deborah
Friedman. The dogged determination she showed tracking down the end-
less nineteenth- and early twentieth-century editions of books I requested
through interlibrary loan should earn her an award—all the more so because
of the wry wit that accompanied her efforts. In our media center, Paul
Coppens and John Callahan always, without hesitation, helped me with the
latest technology for scanning and storing my images. This book would not
have come to fruition without the unstinting support of all of these people.
To do research, one needs time. I was fortunate at a few key moments
to receive fellowships that allowed me to investigate, to travel, and—most
important—to think. In 2006 I received the James Renwick Fellowship in
American Craft from the Smithsonian Institution American Art Museum.
The fall I spent in Washington, D.C., was a watershed for this project: the
ix