The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-05-25
The Centennial Seen Thro' Maine
Spectacles.
Editorial Correspondence of the Journal
PHILADELPHIA Nav 18th

Editorial Correspondence of the Journal
PHILADELPHIA, May 10Th
The art department Of the Exposition seems
20 attract the largest crowd to-day. Tie vast
spaces assigned to paintings, sculptures, Pho
tography &c. are thronged by admiring sight
seers. But though there is much beauty ap-
parent to the actual behoder, there is little that
can be adequately described by u pen and ink
sketch The products of art must be seen to be
understood. Memorial Hall is of itself splen-
did architectural work-built for the use of the
Centennial by the state of Pennsylvania, at a
cost of a million and half of dollars 1t is Il
hre-proof structure of hewn granite, that covers
an acre and a half Of ground, being 800 feet long
30 feet wide, and SO feet high above the buse-
ment, which is II feet high. The great dome
rises 100 feet, and is surmounted by q colossal
figure Of Columbia. An enormous granite eagle
is rerched at each corner of the roof. This el-
egaut building gives 5000 square feet Of wall
room for paintings, aud 20,00Q square feet OF
floor room for statuary. Great as this space Is,
another structure had to be put up close ei
hand to accommodate the immense contribu-
tons that poured in-s building more cAtacious
even than the original
1t is impossible even to attempt description
OF the treasures of art which these floors and
galleries contain Unfortunately the official
catalogue IS al unsatisfactory affair, encumber-
cd with advertisements and Incomplete in lis
arrangements ana details. Beside tins many
Of the contributions are not ct in place, the
process Of unpackmg still going on. The Eng
lieh, whose contribution OF paintings Is large
and fine, have adopted the simple and ,atisfuc-
tory plan Of labelling each picture with the sub
ject and name Of the artist. Ofcourse the Ital-
ians excel in statuary, and much Of this is very
beautiful. There IL the Lnecling figure of Il
young girl, entitled The Prayer, which is not
only graceful and attractive, bur shows the ar
tistic triumph Of cutting in marble yeiled face.
little girl playing blind mans buff is much
admired. There j. a figure of Cupid attached
to the side OF Il bouquet, vet 50 finely managed
as to appear to be living past it. A fine coly OF
Michael Angelo's David udorns this collection.
Also group illustrating the Scriptural passage
which allules TO the loves of the angels with the
daughters of men. There is a very curious bust
of UtheliO in which the man is Of bronze and
the draplng Of marble. The Statues are fcchoneo
almost by the thousand, with great profu>ion
Of Cupid, Venus and the general nude warmth
of the Italian school. Winnie Ream, the Amer
lean sculptress, has Il group Of statuary, among
which are the triumphant Jewish Miriam, and
The Spirit Of the Carnya-the latter very
gay and festive female figure. DAYS may be
passed in the art department in viewing Wlth
qualification what can only be very inude4uate-
ly described
Iu looking through Machinery Hall. few
days ago, missed the very attractive works Of
the Waltham Watch Co. Their delicate machin.
cry is placed very near the great Corllss engine.
and in contrast with its pondrous strength,
where dozen girls guide the machines that GU
the wheels, &c, In the Main Building this
company makes an elegant display 0; watches,
The Great Exposition embraces contributions
from the Whole world, every country being
represented except Greece and Il few insisnitl-
cant South American governments. Even Egl pit
is here, with an inscription over the door OF he!
department, saying that The oldest Nation.
sends greetings 10 the youngest" Egypt has
fne show Of antiquities, and many things which
would be very interesting il we knew more
about them. There are tine photographs Of the
ancient ruins, the pyramids, &c. In the line OF
ornantntation of personal attire aud household
articles, the Egyptian display is exceedingly
rich. IieIe are elegantly lnlald and engraved
e0Ire trays worth 5000 each, beautiful little
ebony cabinets, carved and inad that cost
5000 each. There are hanging lamps the pro-
dult Of Z. forgotten art, that are valued At $1,000
per PAR. Among tie literature are Arabic
books bound in velvet and gold, and rare old
manuscripts. Splendid fans, gorgeous robes,
ard elegant rings are shown. There are curl
on. Jewels and gold ornaments, the work OF
hands that became dust thousands OF years ago.
The Chinese have Il large space fenced i'll and
ornamenled in the tcu-chest style, with colored
lettering, dragons in gold, and horrible crea-
tunes in every style. They come i'll strong on
tea and silk--the latter rich and delicate enough
to set a dres>y lady in a frenzy of covetousnesS.
The Japanese department adJoins that of the
Chinese. ana with less gingerbread work, has
much more Of interest. The Japs nre patient
and shiiltUl laborcrs and ab undant producers
Ia lacquer work they excel the world, and
seem to be proud of their show in that line.
utensils, were very fine, many of them being
400 years old. Such fans as they show, 50 deli
cate and beautiful, are made nowhere else. In
wood carving they are very skillfu, and pro-
ducr the most horrible monsters OF Imagination.
such - are not in the heavens or the earth or
the sea under the earth. They show beautiful
Iustrous silks In which threads Of gold are wo-
ven, producing various figures. And japanese
teas are displayed of course In abundance.
These people who take SO kindly to Americans,
aro very unlike them in their way Of doing
things. I was amused to see \ japanese car
penter smooth board by drawing the plane to-
wards him. and another with cloth wrapped
around the small end of IN American handsaW,
divide board by drawing it towards him for
the cut, instead Of pushing it as an American
does Yet their carpenter work is hard to be
beat. W. il. y.