The Business Of Decoration Previous Page (24)
An example of the conflict between the impulse toward a supreme decorative effect and the somewhat contrary impulse toward more profitable selling came to me the other night in the discussion of a well-known dealer in antique paintings. He argued that it was always better for the decorator to urge upon a client the purchase of an original painting even by an unimportant man, when he could not afford a more imposing picture, than it was for him to permit the client to have
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30INTERIOR DECORATING
a copy made of some great picture that had always thrilled and delighted him. I contended in answer to this and I still fully believe, that this is quite contrary to the truth. It is all very well (or as a matter of fact, not very well at all) for a man who makes a habit of collecting pictures to buy originals when he has a few spare dollars or a few spare thousands to invest. If he buys wisely he can generally feel sure that he will always be able to get most of his money back by a subsequent sale if this ever becomes necessary; but this question is entirely beside the matter of interior decoration. From the standpoint of effectiveness in a room it is my firm conviction that a fine and sincere copy of a great and appropriate picture is frequently more fitting and useful than any original that can be purchased for any like amount of money, or for even four or five times that amount; unless the purchaser is a real judge of pictures and one who can ferret out undiscovered geniuses. It would certainly be unjust of the decorator to advise a client who had only a certain sum to spend on his entire establishment to spend a large fraction of it on some more or less doubtful original painting and thus be limited to the very trying and disagreeable task of purchasing with what then remained all the necessary and delightful furnishings that play so large a part in making the modern home agreeable.
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