Special Classes - Scholarships Available - Some Useful Prize Competitions, etc. - For Studentships and other Benefits Conferred

An uncommon and very delightful feature of the school work lies in the outdoor landscape painting classes, held regularly (luring the summer months, which are free to students of the school, while a fee of 15s. for one month or 25s. for a two months' course of instruction is charged to those who are not regular students.

During the winter months classes for special indoor and still life studies are arranged for the students in place of the outdoor sketching classes.

The women students of the school of art, who make a special study of stained glass designing and painting, and also of enamelling and metal work, have achieved quite remarkable successes

Enamelling, Metal Work, etc.

The stained glass studios of Miss Purser, in Dublin, are famed for the artistic quality of design, colouring, and workmanship, and all its designers and workers have been selected from this school. Among the principal of these artists may be mentioned the names of Miss B. Elvery, Miss E. Rhind, and Miss C. O'brien.

In the arts of enamelling and metal work the Dublin school is well known throughout the world, and here again the women students are specially successful. Some of the best enamel workers among the students are Miss K. Fox, Miss E. Symes, Miss E. Luke, Miss Meave O'byrne, Miss E. Johnstone, Miss N. O'kelly, Miss M. Doran, and Miss D. Allen. The two latter are now executing commissions in their own studios.

A number of the past women students are also gaining their own livelihood by designing and painting, illuminative work, and book illustration and decoration.

The Metropolitan School of Art, besides providing instruction to students in almost every branch of fine and applied arts and crafts, is also a training college for those who desire to become art instructors and teachers. Scholarships are awarded in competition to art teachers, modellers, and other craftsmen and women chosen from those who live in any part of Ireland.

Scholarships Available

Scholarships to women engaged in lace-making, crochet, etc., awarded by the Branchardiere Committee and by the Congested Districts Board, are also held at the Metropolitan School, where the holders of these scholarships are taught drawing and design as applied to lace, crochet, and embroidery.

The names of the women students who have held these lacemaking scholarships and who have gone out as teachers to the various lacemaking centres are too numerous to mention, but it may be said that the school of art has played an important part in the improvement and advancement of design as applied to lacemaking in Ireland.

The head master, Mr. James Ward,

Students of a life class at work in the Metropolitan School of Art, Dublin. A prize is offered annually for success in this branch of art

A.R.C.A., was a pupil and assistant of the late Lord Leighton, P.r.a., for eight years, and is the author of many art text-books. Mr. William Orpen, A.r.a., R.h.a., is the visiting master for the life drawing and painting classes. Mr. Frederick Luke, A.r.c.a., is the second master. Mr. Oliver Sheppard, R.h.a., is the professor of sculpture and modelling. Mr. P. O. Reeves, A.r.c.a., is the instructor of enamelling and metal work. Mr. A. E. Child, instructor of stained glass work. Mr. E. Luke is teacher of the evening classes in drawing. Miss A. Jacob, Mrs. Barden, and Miss Emerson are lady teachers of design, painting, and general art subjects.

Prize Competitions

A few examples drawn at random from the list of subjects, for which no fewer than fifty-five prizes were offered for competition during the last session (1910-1911), gives an excellent idea as to the wide range and scope of the school work and the energy and enterprise of its students. Take, for instance, the design section:

"For the best set of historic studies in preparation for design, accompanied by a concise historical essay on the subject chosen and small analytical diagrams of the planning of the decoration, £1 10s.

"For the best design for a costume, accompanied by working drawings for the various parts, £1 10. If the costume is carried out in materials, this prize will be augmented to £2. These designs should be based on historic Irish or similar costumes prior to the reign of Elizabeth.

"For the best complete scheme for interior decoration, such as that for a hall, dining-room, music-room, etc., accompanied by large scale details, a full-size drawing of some important feature, £2."

Then the architectural section:

"A prize for the best set of historic studies (not fewer than sixteen in number) illustrative of one of such subjects as the following:

(a) The treatment of the human figure in association with architecture.

"(b) The treatment of sculpture and architecture in monumental art, £1 10s.

"The set of works should be accompanied by a concise historical essay on the development and characteristics of the subject chosen, and having special reference to the illustrative studies."

In The Drawing And Painting Section

"A prize for the best cartoon or painting of a figure subject from Irish history, legend, romance, etc., or, if symbolical or allegorical, to be suitable for application as decoration for some Irish public building, such as a school, library, museum, etc. Decorative cartoons may be for any material, such as mosaic, glass, wall painting, tapestry, etc., and should have appropriate borders or such other setting as may be desirable. Size of subject to be not less than six feet in length, £5.