The New York herald., 1870-03-20
Art and Fashion In Europe-The Herald
Special Reports.

Special Reports.
Our correspondents in Paris breathe across
the Atlantic the divine afiatus of art, with its
most elegant modern embodiments, in the
shape Of a description of the various dress
fashions and styles Of personal adornment pre-
vailing in the French capital. Their special
letters, which are published in the HERALD
this morning, will tend to refine the public
taste by imparting to the mind Of the people q
still more elevated idea Of the civilizing influ-
ences Of the works of the great masters, both
in npainting and sculpture. Our readers will also
be enabled to estimate how far and how very
completely the representatives of fashion in
the present day have departed from the GUS
toms and costume Of the primary models Of
the artists-those of our first parents, Adam
and Eve. The continued sale of the San
Donate collection of paintings produced an
intense degree of excitement. Enormous
sums were being paid for many of the works ;
millions of money came forward at call
Art amateurs were also present in large num-
bers, personally or by adequate representa-
tion-a fact which is of much more value to
the living, working painters than is even the
abundance of cash. A fine painting made for
A. L. Stewart, of New York, created quite o
sensation. 1t is an allegorical representa-
tion of the Union Of the American States, and
named ''The United States of America" The
picture, which is well described by one of our
special writer's, is Of great size, of fine idea
and very complete and elegant in finish.
Paniers and repentance were in decided
conflict in Paris. Ash Wednesday brought
the Empress Eugene and the ex-Queen Isa-
bella Of Spain to the altar rails of the church,
where the priestly admonition of menaento
Quia pulois es ct IN puloere reverteris was
spoken in words of clerical, ghostly admonition
to each, and it is to be hoped with an excel
lent saving effect both for the present and the
hereafter. The spiritualities were not omni-
potent, however. Our special fashions writer
has a good deal to say ofthe ''chestnut series of
skirts, of hoops, of azure blues, of court balls
and of the most bewilderingly beautiful
toilets There was marriage-Hymen
vsnquishing the good Saint Anthony, as he
most generally does. 1t was an American
wedding, that of Miss Field, Of this city, who
was saluted as the Princess Triggiano- Bran
caccio, after receiving the blessing Of the
clergyman in the presence of brilliant party
Of American relatives and friends. Court and
fancy dress balls were still in order. The
Prince Imperial of France made his debut as
an actor on an amateur stage-nothing to do
with the dynastic one-in the Tuileries. The
Empress, his mother, was present in magni-
ficent toilet Princess Mathilde entertained
in fine style. A very enlivening musi-
cal soiree is also spoken of. Marriage and
giving in marriage, and, consequently, the
publication of the banns of marriage, were
heard of in the highest circles of French
society and in the churches. Crime and want,
and misery and suffering were plentiful, not
all this but, on the other hand,
charity, hope and faith went hand and hand in
their relief and correction, SO that our special
fashions and art advices, even if they are
slightly carnal in some respects, will be found,
on the whole, to be eminently Christian in
spirit and very consoling in intent.