The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-14
Immense Loss Of Invaluable
Works Of Art.
Destruction Of the Quarter du Luxembourg
British snobs Relic Hunting in the Ruins
Desoation in the studios-Narrow
Escape Of tho Goeblins--
Flower Selling Under Fire.
PARIS. July 20. 1871,

ably the Pont de la C0ncorde, which faces the legs
lative palace. 1t must be admitted that things look
very bad down the Rue Royale half or which is
burned. and the blackcned walls still erect
here and there likely to totter down
when least expected. very Ill reward this
for poor Paris, who began to make places
healthy and tidy ronnd the Madeline from the very
day the army had forced its passage through them
No sooner had this quarter OF the capital been de-
livered than, even before the insurgents were at
tackled at the Baste, the flower market at the loot
OF the Madeline held here her usual gathering Pets
Of mignonette
ROSES AND PINKs, TUE CoMMONEsr BUT SWEETEST
delighted eyes and hearts long weangd rom ele-
gaEcies by the Commune. II Will be marvel II my
fr'erds do not here meet some British tourists
searching for bits OF struck columns or other dllap
dated bits TO preserve, tcxeted. among their ar.
tistic relics At the beginning collections OF this
kind were plentiful; hats full OF mortar and old
wal, chassepot ball, mitraieuse ball, cannon ball,
fragments OF Chimney pots, crooked nails norses
OF shell, &C., shreds OF flags, Old shoes old pspes
bood-sta1ncd stones, were the precious trophies
that offered some compensation for mornings mi.
mute search. Now these not to be picked
up but purehased they are also resold by specula-
tors which commercial enterprise has caused vari-
GUS quarrels over odd bits claimed to have been
seen first by several parties at one time. French
woman Of the lower classes made q very pnilosophi-
cal remark contemplating the ruins. Her two
bare arms were crossed very pacidy meanwhile.
She was evidently one OF those who take things
quietly. at is only change, that is ALL" she said
1--WE used to go out to see our constructions; now
we have got the distinctions. which to my mind
are much more curious" To proceed. The havoc
on the Place de Ia Concorde was perfectly dis.
tressing; but 1t is wonderful how fast the
workmen are repairing damaged Tritons and
Nereids In the famed water fOuntans-how soon
their green metal skin which was peeled Off by
projecies. will be smoohed down to an
even stagnation shade. For few days
the water pipes hung out OF the be-
headed trunks of scay mermads aud looked
like inanlmate wndplpes, not anything hydraulic
ut ALL The statue of Lille Is decapitated; In TACT,
the whole bust OF this figure by Prader Ii to be re-
newed, 1t having been shot or by colossal cannon
ball from OF the barbados in the Rue de Rlvoli
This statue mas had many vcissitudes; among the
right arm. The street de Lille Is also more than
half burnt down, and good gossips say that this Is
punishment Lille has deserved for having at
tempted to get up Commune.
THE HIDE0US AND ABSURD BLACK Wells,
which were tied over the faces Of all the other
statues representing the cities OF France have at
length been taken off, They were put on when the
Prusslans were admitted to view the place and
were supposed TO hide the shame bushes OF these
maldens The statue OF Strasoourg. which had
become o shrine, has been cleared Of
bead WORK with which the Superstition Of the popn.
lace had covered 1t. A plain black wreath q memo.
proe Of the place, the two famous horses known as
Les Chevaux de Marty because they decorated Marty
the Int and left Of the Avenue des Champs Elys es,
opening In front OF tie rullerleS and brought
TO Paris during the revolution OF 1892. They are by
ConsOD.
The Opelisk IN the centre stands up as firm as 1t
did at Luxor, on the lett bank the Nile and with
seli-complacent majesty iOes not appear TO think
much VI the scene or desolatiOn around .My good
people" Is evidently meant by It's hierogyphics,
"why all this fuss over so small q commolIon as
ONE CAPITAL ONLY IN RUINS ~
When you have lived a few centuries more other
KIND have much more to behold before tho end OF
ume is contaminated. Consider my past; YOUR
You think OF my paimy days you call them the age
OF DarDarous antiquity; yours will be called some
thing elseperhaps the age OF excessive civilization.
y Ha, ha, ha " And there Is q smile still on
The Palais dc rlndustrle so dear to artists, has
undergone trials but none ure irremediable. The
colossal group by Diebo!t, "France Distributing
Wreaths TO Art ana Industrv,n has been spared,
with the exception OF one sitting figure. The fne
painted glass the central nave, by Marechal, has
received slight injury; all the other glass windows
have been reduced TO atoms, TO- siege snow. wnlcn
sparkles about the neighbo.hOod oil the palace on
the ground far and near, and has been pulverlzed
by the feet OF pedestrians Inc pavlons which lace
the Tuileries have been much damaged by projec-
tiles from the terrace along the Seine, formerly
| called the "Promenade Keserv, G de rEmpereur."
We will now hasten on t0 the Luxembourg and
and look ABOUT for the studios. What changed
What has become of this street and that this house.
|
| away No. but things and places nave exploded,
| notwithstanding which lew still remain. IL was
on WedneSaay aae a,n % MAY ,o wa miaaay
bar rcade erected at the corner Of the streets Brea
and Vavln for more than eighteen hours, when,
finding they could hold out no Longer III
AN ATMOSPHERE OF POWDER
and shot when had become almost sitting and
! now fired their bialns with savage fury they
rushed into nakers shop near by, there seized all
the empty wheat bags they could find, dipped them
| IN petroleum, set FIRE 10 them, hurled the Turning
mass on trench at the foot or the barrcade, which
| was mined with powder and explosive SHELL ana III
less time than can be Tead tne wH0e shook then
| flames leaped up on all sides. Thus was annihilaed
the studio Of the sculptor Anguste Preault, The studio
! OF A. 40 Curzon and the house OF the architect
Reber-Reber the lndeiatigabie publisher and pro.
prietor Of the journal Any Jor Az. Here were lost,
bronzes, Indian, Chinese, Persian and ia
panese objects OF art; albums, sketches, Co
a aTas p pSes Of ana ras for ehSuse
| to copy from all over the world. But this wilful
destruction Is not the only disaster the streets round
| the Luxembourg have to deplore. The explosion Of
the powder factory added TO the general stupelac.
ton. This took place at about one O'Clock and IN
the space OF five minutes the Chestnut avenue.
formed by four rows VI trees towards tile Opserva-
| toire, was blackcncd and burned rs n
A PESTILBN11AL TOUCH HAD BLASTED EVERYTHING
| MAGIC.
In this space OF time partitions were disjointed
floors fell IN. doors were unnnacd .urnliure rolled
from one story through TO the foundations Of houses
libraries were overturned, glasses cracked and the
dead and the living were crushed under countless
were rendered inaddcning by supplicauon for help.
But still, rs stray ratt VIII noat on
the furious ocean after snipWrecK. some
| inncs were saved. You and l and all OF us
nave seen nowerets peep up from under the mowers
| scythe and their seed. spared by accident, has
brought forth sturdy plants IN It's time. Thus the
painter Francois, living In the Rue CarnOt, dis
| covered, on returning TO his studio, after the
catastrophe, that in The midst OF all his wrecks,
the centre Of all his disngured works, OF all the
laoor OF his manhood one treasure hung on It's old
nail In Its old place. IL Was hrst attempt ~ paint
ing rom lfe 1t was his first success, and recalled
! TIE HArPIEsT HOURS OF HIS ASPIRING YOUTH;
| FOR II was the portrait or his iather The tears,
| which poured freely down his cheeks, were not OF
! soTrow--l0r all thar had gone-bnt OF JOY; the
promise OF his young days was still held ont 10 him.
| lie ~ athletic ana hopeful. lie will begin another
! artistic career under The weiemembered paternal
smile aud encouragement OF the patient model LETT
| him.
! The aquafortst Bracquemond IL also among the
sufferers lie regrets ms laboratory, Ill Whicn seve'
raj chemicals were kept OF which he has also lost tue
| PROPORTIONS. H. Victor Villain had had his stndl0
bombarded by the Prussian siege, but he calls thel
shells innocent pills compared TO the damage caused
| ~ no ~ nj