National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-05-06
ART IN PARIS.
THE LOUVRE.

] irving in Paris, fresh from the New World the
multiplicity Of objects claiming their attention
under that head distracts and confuses them
| For the first time In his life the average Ameri
| can, in his study Of the beautiful finds himself
embarrassed by wealth rather than by poverty
Among the host of museums and monuments
which the guide-books will lay before him, and
| which 1t would require-so it scems-yesrs TO
explore, which shall he elect to visit, and which
In view Of his limited soourn, will best repay him
| for the time expendedH In answering this ques-
tOn, 1t is best to recall that Paris is the seat oil
one Of the great galleries of the world; the traV
eler will know more of painting and OF sculpture
than he can learn anywhere else this side Of Italy
| If he will make familiar acquaintance with
THE LOUVRE.
But the Louvre is world in itself 1t is not so
much a museum or gallery as it Is series OF
! museums and galleries. II one attempts, as so
many travellers do, to go through It systemati-
cally from beginning to end, in q limited period Of
time the result is vanity and vexaton Of spirit.
When one has passed through the museums Of
Greek, Of Roman, Of Egyptian Antiquities, Of
| Ancient and OF Modern Sculpture; of BronIes, OF
| Pottery, Of Jewels, and Of engravings; through
the galleries respectively Of Early French, Later
! French, and Modern French Painting; through
the Square Room and the Long Gallery, and q
dozen more museums and galleries besides-the
and life Is short. His eyes are dim with gazing;
his neck aches and his spinal column is psrslyzed
from agoniIed inspection Of ceilings and every
other conceivable place where pictures ought not
to be; and this 10 not the worst. The worst is +,
that after all this misery, the retina refuses to
retain moro than blurred image Of the marvels
it has seen; the memory struggles hopelessly
with vain and indistinct conceptions.
But, IN exploring the Louvre, there is more
excellent way It is better to select from its inn
fly OF treasures q certain number Of the most re-
markabIe and memorable works. After thorough
and Intelligent study Of these, one will carry
away definite and beautiful pictures in his men,
ory; and he will have acquired, also, certain
standard for future judgments, which Will greatly
enhance his pleasures In the German and Italian
galleries.
First Of all,
THE BUILDING ITSELF
is worth some little study, and moment or two Of
sentimental musing. Situated, as 1t is, in the
heart of Paris, how hard is it to conceive that, in
the days Of the old Do-Nothing Kings, this was q
hunting-sest surrounded by dense woods. Look.
ing out from its northern windows upon the fash
ionabIy dressed throDgs Of the Rue de Rivoli, how
strange to think that the wild boar was once
chased where now run 1.-THE asphaltum-paved
streets and the glittering arcades that the old
terror of France the wolf has left his name upon
this temple Of the arts in what now claims to be
the centre Of civilization.
The Old Louvre is q continuous range Of build
ings In the form Of perfect square, with q tine
garden in the centre Of this the western side is
the Oldest and dates back six centuries; the east
ern and southern sides, BY far the most imposing
Of the whole building, reflect honor and credit on
the distinguished French MUSICIAN aud architect,
Claude Perrault, who built them in the reign Of
Louis XIV. Opposite the rich Corlnthian columns
and ne pilasters Of the eastern front, stands the
old church Of st. GermsIn whence pealed the sig
naI.beIl for the massacre Of st. Bartholomew. The
New Louvre is the continuation of tho old, uniting
It with tho irregular parallelogram Of the Tuiler
les. The most notable features OF the whole ex-
terror are the LOFTY and massive partitions, which
bear the names OF the most distinguished states
men and fnancierI Of -Sully,
Turgot-and
THE HOST OF STATUES
decorating the terraces above the first story.
These statues represent the most illustrious men
Of France, from her earliest day down to the
present-"heroes flung psll-nel," as Browning
says, ''on the Louvre, face and flank" Lafon-
talne, Moliere, Rabelais, Abelard, Rousseau,
Poussin, Voltsirs-to 20 through the list would
be to give an epitome Of the nations history.
Poet, dramstist critic, oynic, warrior statesman,
artigt-they are all there In this building within
and without, Frenchmen have endesvored to per-
petuats what is most memorable In their story, or
characteristic in their genius. As to tho statues
themselves the less said Of them the better; they
look we'll enough from the street, and their gen.
eral effect is to add dignity to the building.
As to the interior, the chambers Of the Old Lou
vre are easily to be distinguished from the rest,
and, with their curious and richly embossed CELL
ings, are we'll worth brief survey, especially the
bedchsmber of Henry w., with its dark VAIN
scoting and low, ribbed ceiling, in the italian
style; and the room in which the great victor Of
IVry died from the blow Of an assassin.
THE MUSEUM OF sovEREIGNs
contains good deal that is interesting as illus
tratlng and Illuminating history. The Nero
vingian kings do not seem quite such mythical
persons when one has inspected the old armchair
Of King Dagobert; and what q Singular impress
sion it produces upon the citizen Of nation not
century old to take in his hand the sceptre Of
Charlemagne, his sword and spurs, and his
prayer book, whose date carries US back nearly
LOO years. Almost is the visitor persuaded that
he will yet come upon tho horn of Roland, whose
echoes still sound through the early twilight OF
French poetry. But the interest of q relic does
not always depend upon age. In these stately
saloons whose blue walls bear the gold lilies Of
the Oldest dynasty IN the world, there is nothing
not the shoe OF Marie Antoinette, nor the mirror
Of Marie de Medicis, nor the armor OF HenryIV.-
which we do not readily leave for the hall into
whlchit opens, whose gilt bees On 4 ground Of red
are emblems Of
APARvRNU EMPEROR
Of line whose glory began and ended with one
man Here Is the veritable old gray redingote
and three cornersd hat which art hos faithfully
reproduced in column, picture and statue; the
sword which he wore as first eOnsul, and the uni.
Sst,. 4, r ~