, 1874-07-26
FRENCH MANUFACTURES.
influence Of the Fine Arts Oil the
Industrial Arts.
Seyres---The Gobe!ins.

the CORNISH war, in tho time aud under the
circumstances which have seen its accomplish
ment, is one OF tue wonders Of history. But it
is something besides it is q revelation Of
THE TRUE FOUNDATION
Of tho national strength and wealth.
In 1867 few visitors at tho Capital
would have hesltatcd to pronounce Franco
tho foremost OF Continental nations.
She herself had no doubt at all in the matter.
But, as to tho basis Of her claim to p.cdoml-
nance, there WAS diversity Of opinion. Some
Frenchnen placed it in their army !; some in
their great writer's, artists, aud thinkers; others
in the brilliant personality which Ind imposed
its speech, manners, and costumes upon the
world.
III tho spring Of 1871, that army was with tho
| snow-wreaths Of Deccmber; the intellect
Of tho nation sat overwhelmed and dumb;
the great artists laid down brush and
chlsel paralyzed by the general stagna-
| ton; the great singers and actors fornook
! the stage, and went elsewhere to collect their
| golden showers tho French language, modes,
| aud manners, bad ceased to bs the fashion,
| In this hour OF universal humiliation and de-
| spnir,
THE INTELLIGENT FRENCH ARTISAN
stepped to the front, and by his skill. ingenuity,
70
| no doubt, after the experience Of the last three
years, that tho strong point of the French people
| financially is thoir manufactures aud, further
the special features and directions in which their
| manufacturers Eurpass all others. It is haid-
| II necessary to pioyo that there
are better soldiers than the Frouch. AS archi-
tccts, sculptors, and painters, they arc, III spite
! OF their admirable achievements in those Groc-
| tions. surpassed by mote than one uation; in
the matter Of great poets, they have always been
distsuced by Germany, England, and Italy III
| great pioneers @ud tho machinery Of colonlza-
| ton, what possible comparison with America 2
The German may teach you, the Enslishman
| govern you, tho italian thrill you best, il you
| will But cIothe you, feed you, a,nuso you,-
| WHO will do this 20 well as the Gaul!
| Therefore, though the American visiting Paris
| will find there, III the Fine Arts, food for the
| most delightful memories Of aftor-years yet the
| obsel vation OF tho peculiar excoIencies mud
characteristics Of French manufacturers will give
him, Us the citizen Of q new and uudoycloped
country, practical lessons hot 70 be obtained any
! where else iu tho woflu.
The particular manufactures in which the
| French excel those which belong to What
| might be called
THE ORNAMENTAL DEPARTMENT
| OF the useful arta,-tnose which combine beauty
with service. They lead in the production Of
everything relating to tho decoration Of the
| dwelling or the adornment OF the person. Por-
Cal01Q. TAPESTRY pALe~kld&36 Au0 fBLaj,
| with the whole department of ornamental cloth
| ing. are among their specialties. The remark
able perfection and universal fame which they
have acquired in these directions are due:
first, to the application of the principles
OF the Fine Arts to industrial employ
ments, aud the adoption therein of tho
latest results OF scientific research and second
ly, to the unusual dogroo Of manual skill or
| handiness possessed by tho French arslsan,-a
| dextcrity transmitted through centuries from
| n child Thn Wh1la nRtl0n In. FiffttI
fingers.
| parks Of Paris, tue number Of museums aid gal
ieries open to the public without lee or favor
the finest palaces, tho Tuileries included, being
accessible to the rudest peasant on certain days
Of the week or year.-all tend to educate tho eye
and mind Of the comm0nest mechanic; to I'M
plant artistic ideas and stands, ds, whose lnuu-
| euce on every kind OF work H immediately ap-
| parent.
Another thing to be noticed in France is tho
! comparatively small am 1,lns or llsllacturln5
done by machinery. md tho larec number OF
| artisans who manufacture
ON THEIR OWN ACCOUNT,
without capital or this class are tho dwe!lnrs
in little garrets under tue Nau:ard roofs
(lreasmakers' assistants, 1oHer-n1AA1TF, wood
ensravors, aud others, who execute certain trim
mings, sprays, or blocks, ' by tho piece as they
cay. Hence, tho French artisan is more Of I'LL
| individual and less OF machine. than most
less OF drudge, and more Of q master. 1n fact,
there aro few Of them who are not artists in a
emall way,-who do not take pride in theiz
work beyond the money it brings. The result is,
that much Of the slmplest work receives GER
tain impress of creative power, OF taste, and
beauty, which can mover be bestowed by ma
chine, or machino-lko, labor. This is a
feature which most needs to be commended to
tho American artisan aud manufacturer, be-
cause its influence is immense. not ouly on tho
| article produced but on the life of tho producer.
Finally, 3 few great establishments. conducted
| under the superintendeuce Of the Government,
.he1o certain forms Of production are carried to
the highest possible excellence, are to the lln-
| bler mechanic as the Great Review or the Gen
| erals triumph to the raw recruit. The manner
in which talent or skill is there noted and
rewarded forms 8 pnrt OF that idea
of promotion and distinction without which no
ars or individual is likely 10 advance very far
Tho most remarkable Of these establishments If
the
PORCELAIN a1ASrFAcToNy OF :;EylEs.
situated miles west Of l'afis, tie pa1l OF st
Cloud. Take the cumbEous horse. call:d ~
the natives ''The American. Railroad" aad, il
the weather is due climb to one OF the scats OF
| the outside. From there you will have view d
| The prettest country in the neighborhood OF tnt
sdsh wh as and you ereea appFoast tsa
races OF St. Cloud, will awaken de!igh
and enthusiasm. From the gate OF the Palace
ten minutes' walk through the lovely Park vii
bring you to the ManufactorJ The only part
museum aud tho show-roolns The work
rooms revealing the whole process Of making
porcelain, from the preparation OF the clay t.
tie draught of original plnus in the studios O
| design, arc accessible only through specla
permission from tho Government: pa5s,e1u1a, 1a'
, mnch with which the world is familiar
through encyclopedias and travels, since
, q visit to tho English Potteries. to the grea
mandatory of Dresden china at Meiseen, an'
to the Italian establishment ct Ginori, will dis
, cover modes of procedure not differing IN thel
general character from those Of Seyres. 10 EN-
phasize tho distinctive merits of SeVres, oa
must rather dwell on its ....
UNIQUE AED ORIGINAL FEATURES.
And first there is tho porcelain itself. Nhat
over concessions may be made to the prod
, nets Of sa1ony and staftordshire OF
tho score Of strength and durability, it Heem
impossible not to pronounce this the Eos
besatfu u tho world T. is the very poodiry yt'
wonderful fidelity Of outline and color, are mas
ter-picces of the old painrers,tho dark, fascitat
, Ing beauty of The Fornalin Raphaois norttal
! from the Florontine Gallery, tho grcat Vatican
rrescos OF this master and OF Michael Angelic