The theme of this richly colored gouache and ink drawing entitled “The Enchanted Isle of Beautiful Sounds” is communicated via a scene set in a lush, fantastical, eden-like, nature-filled landscape in which a lovely bare-breasted young female figure holding a lyre/harp is surrounded by various exotic birds, jumping fish, a panther, a rabbit, and deer. Overall it appears like a theatrical set in which the elements of land, water, sky, vegetation, human and animal figures are highly stylized, rendered flatly, with defined outlines. The ornamental details, and general impression is reminiscent of Eastern paintings. The figure wears a long floral skirt with an elaborate design, sitting low on her hips. A red shawl drapes over her right shoulder, sweeps behind her back and is caught up again in the crook of her left elbow like a sinuous wave, echoing the curve of the lyre which extends from her left hip up to her left hand. Her hair appears to be held by a decorative band around her forehead. She wears little black slippers. Her right hand is pointing to two deer looking up to her, if she was commanding them “sit/stay.” (The deer are in silhouetted, side by side; the one in the foreground is golden brown and overlaps the partially hidden one that is black.) Further to viewer’s left is a black rabbit sitting just behind/between the deer. A third deer is partially visible behind a knoll. Further to the very left is a golden tree with curving branches and lush foliage. Moving to (viewer’s) right of the figure, a black panther is outstretched at the woman’s feet. His two front paws and a portion of his hind and tail are visible on either side of her, the rest obscured by (behind) her skirt. skirt. Two tall-legged birds with long bills and black markings at the wings/neck/head (herons?) are to further to viewer’s right. The figure and animals are on hilly land depicted in gold with small flowers growing here and there. Behind the figure is a tall rounded amorphous shape which looks like a mountain or giant rock in a pale jade green color (celadon.) It is taller than she is and wider, and serves like theatrical backlighting around her and the elements near her. The sky behind and above the mountain is black topped by a canopy of pink stylized clouds that extend all across the drawing, like a valence or curtain across the top of a stage set. Throughout the scene are various exotic birds in flight, seen through and against leafy vines hanging from above. At the lower part of the scene fish are jumping out from a body of water with stylized undulating waves with little clumps of reeds protruding here and there. There is a floral/leafy patterned border going all around the rectangular drawing like a picture frame. The use of black in the sky and in some of the animals in contrast to the soft colors of jade, pink and cream, and the brightness of the “gold” areas contributes to the sense of mystery, drama and “enchantment” of this scene.

There are 2 other images of this object. See our image rights statement.

See more objects with the tag floral, animals, music, art deco, exoticism, tapestry, gouache.

Object Timeline

1918	Work on this object began.
1928	Work on this object ended.
1971	We acquired this object.
2015	We photographed this object.
2016	We photographed this object.
2017	We photographed this object. We exhibited this object.
2024	You found it!

Object ID #18475707

This is a Drawing. It is dated ca. 1923 and we acquired it in 1971. Its medium is brush and gouache, graphite on brown wove paper. It is a part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design department.

Crisp’s richly colored painting is a study for one of a set of three tapestries meant to adorn the walls of a music room. The resulting tapestries, made of silk batik and measuring over eleven by nine feet in size, never made it into the client’s home because of financial issues. Crisp’s use of color-saturated gouache and Persian elements evoke otherworldly luxury which would have been magnified by the scale of the tapestries.

It is credited Gift of Hon. Arthur Crisp.

Drawing, Design for a Stair Rail, Panther Chasing Ibex

Drawing, Design for a Stair Rail, Panther Chasing Ibex
graphite on tracing paper.
Gift of Diana Diederich Blake.
1992-92-98

Drawing, Design for a Tapestry: Africa
brush and brown ink, black wash, white gouache,over black chalk on laid....
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council.
1911-28-409

Brooch
laminated, baked, and cut cellulose acetate.
Gift of Myra Cooper.
2015-37-2

Our curators have highlighted 3 objects that are related to this one.

Hanging (USA)
wool embroidery on linen foundation.
Gift of Richard H. Frost.
1996-112-1

Drawing, Design for Signpost, Feline
graphite, yellow color pencil on tracing paper .
Gift of Diana Diederich Blake.
1992-92-184

Rank Badge (China)
1944-33-9

Its dimensions are

H x W: 35.2 × 45.4 cm (13 7/8 × 17 7/8 in.) H x W (Sheet): 36.2 × 47.6 cm (14 1/4 × 18 3/4 in.) H x W (Mat): 55.9 × 71.1 cm (22 × 28 in.)

It is signed

Signed, lower right: CRISP

It is inscribed

Inscribed in graphite, left margin: Friday 10 AM Thursday Crisp Mount .... [illegible]

Cite this object as

Object ID #18475707; France; brush and gouache, graphite on brown wove paper; H x W: 35.2 × 45.4 cm (13 7/8 × 17 7/8 in.) H x W (Sheet): 36.2 × 47.6 cm (14 1/4 × 18 3/4 in.) H x W (Mat): 55.9 × 71.1 cm (22 × 28 in.); Gift of Hon. Arthur Crisp; 1971-96-1

We have 1 media file that features Object ID #18475707.

"The Creeper," Duke Ellington and his Kentucky Club Orchestra (1926)

Arthur Crisp’s textile drawing The Enchanted Isle of Musical Sounds reminds me of early jazz in New York City in the 1920s—evocative, exotic, fresh, energizing, and at times mysterious. “The...

http://www.folkways.si.edu/kentucky-club-orchestra/the-creeper/jazz-ragtime/music/track/smithsonian

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition The Jazz Age: American Style in the 1920s.

Short URL http://cprhw.tt/o/2CGbF/
Accession Number 1971-96-1
Object ID 18475707