Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-06-11
THE GREAT EXHIBITION.
The American Department.

Tie London correspondence Of the New York
Times writes concerning the American Depart
ment Of the Great Exhibition:
Il Is, on the whole, cheerful spot, and con-
tains not only many things that are useful, but
many that are ornamental. The walls are deco
rated with paintings from NJ. X. Kellogg, two
portaits, and bath scens;) J. F Cropsey, ("Au-
tumn on the Hudson River, !" and ga Cane brake
In VIrginia,") by W. Page. 1t Is undoubtedly
patriotic that the last-named artist has placed his
two finest portraits In the American Department,
where the light is thoroughly bad for art pur-
pores rather than In the picture gallery, where 1t
Is good but Is none the less an act Of great tnjus
tice to their peculiar merits. am by no means
an admirer Of Mr. Pages dismal realism, nor am
prepared on all occasions to shout with the
crowd that he has mastered Titian's art OF color.
hibitsd 1.-THE artist and his wifel there csn be no
question, and / am sure they would have at
tracted the thoughtful attention to which they
are justly entitled IL they had been placed differ
emily. The HHead-wa,ers Of the Susquehannah, :"
bv Mignot, and one or two other works, complete
the pictorial decoration OF the room, unless an
exhibition OF the sinews OF war, In the shape OF
bank bills engraved by an American Bank Note
Company, belongs thereto. A noble statue OF
America, by E J. Kuntze, occupies a desirable
corner, and attracts much attention.
The sewing machines are hanked by the inev-
liable clock, IS ugly as ever, and as good. Why
s II that the old fora of Yankee discovery in this
branch Of manufacture Is so pertinaciously ad-
hered to II cannot be for its elegance for no.
cheapness for many Of the cases are elaborate In
their hideousness and far more costly than their
neighbors, In the French theological department.
hope the makers are In London, to take lesson
from the many specimens Of handsome and cheap
clock ware which they will find in almost every
court Of the building.
collection OF Hat linen diapers boxes, labeled
cotton prints, !" ''delaines chose ;" &c, repre-
Il sents the courageous attempt Of an American
manufacturer 10 beard the British lion in his den
have not seen the animal since the occurrence,
but as the contents Of the boxes are yet hidden
from view, he has, presume merely shifted the N
from afar. IL Is pity there 10 no case for these
articles, that they might be seen. At all events
II 10 Is a good thing to know that competition In
fancy goods has commsnced in earnest and that
Il there are manufacturers ia America who do not
hesitate to measure their strength with those In
Europe.
By the largest part OF the section is set apart
for the display Of musical instruments Msssrs
Steinway Sons occupy the entire centre OF the
/ apartment, exhibiting two grand and two square
i pianos. They are certainly amongst the finest In
l struments in the eIhibitiOn-if not, az is more
1 than suspected, the finest. The folly Of sending
pianos from America to Europe nearly excited the
laughter Of cisatlantic makers and until the
/ were opened they were disposed to be very merry
i indeed. Since here they have parted with good
deal Of their hilarity-for the Steinway pianos
are In fact the musical excitement of the eIhibi-
l tion. Both In quantity and quality Of tone. In
l touch In excellence Of wOr kmanship and In ele.
gance OF appearance, they are superior to any
pianos have vet heard In other courts; and this
issaying a great deal, for London, Paris, Vienna
and all the great centres Of this important manu-
| facture are fully represented In the exhibition
The judges seem to be Of the same opinion, fol
nothing can exceed their interest in these instru
ments; and as for the artists, they-the ndepend.
ent ones, at least-pay on them from morning till
L night. Hence IL happens that the American
L Court IS one OF the pleasantest hooks in the
building and the only place where one is sure 20
hear tile hae PLAYING One OF It's most frequent
visitors is Alfred Jaell, who will be remembered
Il In America,