Figure 10 . William M . Chase and others on the Tile Club Trip , 1880 , photographic print , 8 1/4 x 10 1/4 in ., William Merritt Chase papers , circa 1890- 1964 , Archives of American Art , Smithsonian Institution . Verso : 1880 tile Club trip up Hudson River , Erie Canal . Wm . Chase and others . with artistic trappings gleaned from the elaborate studios of Chase and Sarony ( fig . 10 ). As one might imagine , “ the artistic and decorative effect that was produced was excellent …. The divans , that were easily translated into beds ; the cushions , that were but pretexts for diurnal concealment of pillows ; the piano , the violins , the big dining table , the armchairs and hammocks , the excellent glassware … cutlery … student lamps and Chinese lanterns ” were all serviceable and , of course , tastefully selected . 55 The “ major domo and brush-washer ,” of this deluxe affair , a black servant named Daniel , was bedecked with a “ snowy linen cap and jacket and a long white apron .” 56 Assisting him was a second servant whom the Tilers named “ Deuteronomy .” It is no wonder that all but two of the members showed up at the pier at West Tenth Street on the morning of June 23 , 1879 , to partake of this luxury cruise presumably at the expense of Scribner ’ s . Tilers who made up the 1879 expedition included O ’ Donovan , Laffan , Gifford , Reinhart , Smith , Quartley , Dielman , Chase , Sarony , Weir , Twachtman , Baird , Dr . J . Lewenberg ( who played the violin ), Antonio Knauth ( who played the cello ), and Gustave Kobbé ( a publisher , music critic and pianist ), the last three having been ,
along with Baird , elected honorary musician members of the club . The only members missing were Shinn and Homer . Homer had probably dropped out of the club by this time . From this point on , it is difficult to keep an exact count of Tile Club members . It does appear , however , that an effort was made to keep the core group at twelve .
The barge was hitched to a “ community ” of forty-two boats being pulled and pushed up the Hudson by tug boats . Five days later , Gifford wrote to his wife Fanny that they were moving at a “ snail ’ s pace ” and were just arriving in Albany , but wasted no time in beginning sketches : “ Yesterday morning was very pleasant and we made a number of sketches on the different boats , going from one to the other by means of a plank put across from one gunwale to the other .” 57 Much to the amusement of passengers on the other boats , the artists dressed in “ gorgeous costumes .” 58 They also had a large Japanese bell , three feet high , which they struck at mealtime and “ when any remarkable vessel passed by .” 59
To while away the time on their slow river journey , the artists quite appropriately discussed the Hudson River School of art , its members , and their “ good old
Decorative Age or Decorative Craze ? 17