Introduction
Introduction
“‘ Order !’ yells the Catgut . ‘ Stop that infernal din in the corner , and you fellows drop that art stuff and listen to a sonata that will melt your soul into honey .’” 1
In Francis Hopkinson Smith ’ s account of a weekly Tile Club meeting , we quickly learn a few details about the group : humor was essential , as was the desire to create works of art ; live musical performances were eagerly welcomed ; and lastly , camaraderie amongst members was fundamental . Founded in 1877 on the heels of the Philadelphia Centennial , the Tile Club was one of many societies that formed in the United States during the late nineteenth century . Based in New York City , Tilers comprised such well-known artists as Winslow Homer , William Merritt Chase , Augustus Saint- Gaudens , John H . Twachtman , and J . Alden Weir .
This group of young artists , inspired by the wave of interest in the decorative arts that flooded the 1876 Exposition , decided to meet once a week and contribute to the “ decorative age .” At this time , the Industrial Revolution had led to the manufacture of many inferior , mass-produced goods . Figures such as William Morris , John Ruskin , and other leaders of the Arts and Crafts and the Aesthetic movements were appalled . As a result , there was a push for the return to handcrafted-quality objects . With a desire to support the creation of honestly made products , and to keep up with the times , the Tile Club was established , and every Wednesday evening they would gather and paint an eight-by-eight-inch ceramic tile .
The Club ’ s earliest meetings were attended by two Englishmen , Edward Wimbridge and Walter Paris , and by Americans Edwin Austin Abbey and Charles S . Reinhart . Other members soon included Winslow Homer , William R . O ’ Donovan , Earl Shinn , F . Hopkinson Smith , William Mackay Laffan , J . Alden Weir , Arthur Quartley , and R . Swain Gifford , rounding the number out to twelve . Over time , as Tilers left New York and traveled , married , and excelled in their careers , a new Tiler would come aboard . By the time the group disbanded in 1887 , the Club ’ s “ roster ” included over thirty members .
These meetings became a time to not only create art but also to socialize , dine , and take pleasure in the music performed by the group ’ s honorary members , such as the violinist Dr . Joseph Lewenberg — whose Club sobriquet was Catgut . Indeed , every member of the group received a nickname , several of which were a play off the artist ’ s surname ; Arthur Burdett Frost , for example , was known as Icicle . Other names drew on the member ’ s physiognomy or personality : William Mackay Laffan was designated Polyphemus , as he had a glass eye , and Winslow Homer was dubbed the Obtuse Bard . The Club ’ s light-heartedness concerning their monikers was matched by the group ’ s organization — there were to be no rules , no minutes were kept , and no amount of disorderliness would ever be frowned upon . Fellowship , wit , and a pursuit of pleasure in the arts were of the highest priority .
Decorative Age or Decorative Craze ? 3