By J. Liberty Tadd
"J. Liberty Tadd's influential educational treatise presents a progressive and hands-on approach to art instruction at the turn of the twentieth century, focusing on modelling, relief work, and the development of creative perception through direct study of natural forms. This Australian Edition—issued with a substantial introduction by John Branch, Superintendent of Drawing for the New South Wales Department of Public Instruction—emphasises the value of tactile, investigative learning over rote copying. Tadd outlines methods for teaching modelling in clay, plaster, wood, and other materials, using nature, geometric forms, and everyday objects to guide students toward understanding proportion, structure, and expressive form. The volume is richly illustrated, showing both elementary exercises and advanced examples, including plaster capitals, carved panels, and intricate relief studies made by pupils.
Books III and IV form the practical heart of Tadd's "Natural Education Series," offering teachers a comprehensive sequence of lessons designed to cultivate observation, accuracy, and artistic confidence in children. Detailed commentary by Branch further adapts the method to Australian classrooms, encouraging instructors to pair creative freedom with structured, incremental skill-building. The result is a fascinating document of early modern educational philosophy, combining theory, technique, and visual demonstration in an accessible format. This edition will strongly appeal to collectors of early educational theory, Australian pedagogical history, art instruction manuals, and those interested in the development of school-level design and modelling practices."
General wear with a some fading to the covers and spine as shown. Binding is excellent with no loose pages. Pages clean with only occasional light spotting. A nice copy in good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.
