New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-07-26

uaer,a s.,;nLioJ IN ,monS the mass of humber
exterlors together with innuIneraoie sappels In
red and policemen IN DARK Olue ouCh Is the
company whom we see, four days m the week,
as we glance around US, In frihce AioeftS gfea'
g,ass-hOuse
And now having found our way to Russia we
,es,,,ns on, examination of her works OF Art and
ARTISTIC Industry Upon the wall we notice a
fre collection Of plaster casts and medailons,
,ybile unon blue ground OF extreme dellcacy
and beauty. some Of these very slightly relieved,
hive been bronzed over by electric action, pre-
so,t,no the effect Of pictures in bronze a series
NJ medalliOns In gutta percha, initiating red clay,
and representing passages IN the Turkish and
Persian wars though inferior to the former, are
still credltable: all are exhibited by Count lois
toy, Vice President Of the Imperial Academy OF
Fine Arts, at St Petersburg
One OF the most remarkable things, IN point Of
workmanship, to be seen III the building, Is
large box OF ebony, the top and SIDES OF which
are ornamented with clusters Of fruit, OF the
natural size, all carved out OF precious stones,
immense quantities Of each having been cut up
in search OF portions possessing the particular
flaws which serve TO produce the effect OF the
seeds, veins, and other natural pecullarltles,
which are inflated with such perfect truthful
ness that birds would lnfalllbly peck them Ii
they got the chance Look at these purple
grapes, cut out Of amethyst how exqulstely
shaded the rich luscious berries, paler under
meath and seemingly covered with soft bloom
II needs all the reiterated asseveratlons OF the
Russian Commissioner who mounts guard over
this wonderful result of patience and skill, (saId
10 be especially dear 10 the Emperors hearth to
persuade US that all this shading Is natural, and
that no colorng process whatever has oeen re-
sorted to: these berries OF the mountaln-ash,
carved out OF coral; these pluns, formed OF one
of the rarest and costliest stones, the onyx
these cherries through whose transparent SKIN
the Juice seems starting. and these white AMI red
currants every seed and VEN showing through
the transparent pulp, al OF red and white c0rne-
han; these pears, OF agate, whose NOTED ana
drowned rind might challenge competition
with the finest Bergamot, the npest Duchess,
that ever hung on sunnlest espaller. All these
fruits, except the grapes, which are whole, are
In semirelief only, and are seemingly ln5eddcd
in the wood The leaves are OF Jasper, ana are
fully as wonderful as the irult-eyery little ven
wihered spot, or Shiny trace OF caterpillar, beng
rendered with scrupulous accuracy. This coher'
the rims and edges OF which are richly carved,
was prepared at the Emperor's command as
present 10 the Empress, and cost only the tuiling
sum OF thirty thousand dollars.
Our attention is next attracted by a cabinet OF
tulip-wood, about nine feet high, of perfection
of workmanship that may compare with that OF
any similar object in the building. In the panels
of the double set of folding doors are large
plaques OF porcelain, representing various rural
scenes smaller plaques, wreaths OF WOnderu
lightness and delicacy, are inserted between the
larger ones, in the framework of the cabinet.
Small hexagonal pillars support the top, IN which
the strait. fine veinlng of this beautiful wood Is
turned TO admirable account by the SKILL OF the
veneerer: omen scroll-work, with a very little
rich gliding. very artistlcally thrown IN, finishes
the top combining most harmonOusy with the
general effect, and producing an ensemble OIL re
Nt,.a 10 nt
this cabinet is filled with drawers, and shelves
lined with green velvet, and Is IN perfect keep
ing with the solidity and high finish OF It's exte-
nor.
Two enormous porcelain vases and superb
table on a richly gIlded shaft, from the Imperial
China Mandatory OF St Petersburg, are far
superior, both in grace OF proportion and beauty
OF colOrng, TO the ceramic productions OF all the
rest OF Europe, saving only those OF SevTes,
which seem TO realize the Ideal more nearly than
has vet been done by any other branch OF indus
try; even the renowned Dresden China exhibit
ed IN the building with the exception OF few
porcelain and enamel pictures of great beauty,
being dull, heavy and coarse IN comparison win
these productions OF the Northern Barbarian
Russia exhibits also some samples OF nlald
flooring and tabe-tops, which, for complexty OF
pattern and perfection OF Workmanship Instance
EVERYTHING else of the same kind to be found IN
the Palace Look at this surface, composed en-
tirely of minute squares of the same pale, sand
colored wood. the grain running IN different
WAYS. and thus producing the ELECT OF cheqnered
dalnask, q scroll OF some beautiful gray wood
seing inlaid upon this chequered surface, pro
ducing an admirable appearance OF hghtness and
grace This other specimen, composed entirely
Of new oak, initiates with wonderful perfection
the effect OF rich damask linen; one might really
take IL for an unbleached tablecloth OF magnlil-
cent design, surrounded by rich border OF purple
arabcsuue Look now at this tabletop, which
needs long examination TO enable us 10 appfe-
clate the treasures of artistic Workmanship EN-
ployed In It's construction; the surface being
composed Of small squares OF some uch, dark,
glossy wood the grain of which Is so contrGSted
as to produce the effect of elaborate braidlng,
magnificent arabCsque of brass and yellow mo-
ther-ofpearl being again lnald upon TINS hrsl
complex surface On examining the wonderful
development of which the simplest subjects are
thus TO be susceptible; the mdcfnife possibilities
oT pe1ttctijil,ty which we now find have been ly-
ing latent all around Us, IN every sphere, since
the dawn Of time, as. for example, IN that appa-
renily so humble of icoodeR floors one Is forclbly
impressed with a sense Of the lniinity which sur
rounds us on every hand and dazzled by the
vlstas of mtermlnable progression that open be-
fore the mind from whatever point we direct our
gaze: and when. rejecting upon the wonderful
achievements OF the last few years, the prodi-
eious strides which Science, Art, and Industry
have made In all spheres as evidenced IN the
magnificent Results by which our eyes are met
III every department OF the Crystal Palace, We
attempt TO compute the ascending movement OF
coming years geometrlcally multiplied, as the
action OF all its forces will be- by the constantly
increasing tendency, every where visible, to-
ward mutual combination and cooperative unity,
whereby no, only each Part concurS toward the
perfection and advancement OF the Whole but
the momentum of the Whole Is brough, to bear
upon each Part, the most vivid Imagination,
blinded with excess of light" recoils from the
contemplation OF perSpectives 50 vast, so glori-
Gus while on the other hand il would seem, in
deed, impossible ior the duliest darkeS, spirit to
examine the wondrouS collections of this noble
Show, without being conscious of a deeper re-
Srnct inr the l-nlNersc OF Mhlch he firms 4 Mr.