The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-06-10
OUR PHILADELPHIA LETTER.
FROM oUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT
PHILADELPHIA, June :, 1876.

Hhllpnss nave ass Slleu W Iheh Contiguous
sections, in the main centennial building,
"a that the visitor has excellent OppOr-
tunity for comparative study. Japan
makes the more imposing display, but | am
disposed to think that it Is merely the
munlhcent appropriation $500, 900 Of her
Government that enables her to do SO,
and that China with an equal expenditure
Of money would eclipse her neighbor.
There are both contrast and sAmeness Ill
the displays of the two countries, each has
given the beautiful, or what they in their
perverse taste conceive to be the beauti-
full, more prom inence than the useful.
The ornamentation Of the Japanese
bronze vases and Of the Chinese wood and
ivory work is elaborate, fantastic, gro
tesque, and exquisite. IL is impossible q
Judge them fairly by and Of our standards
Of taste. and | sometimes wonder if they
may not work more wisely than We know.
and with deeper Psychological insight, when
they cover a graceful vase Of exquisite
finish with the most hfelike and hideous Of
beasts and reptiles, thus, perhaps, height
ening the effect Of art through excitement
Of conflicting emotions. 1t Is certain that
these specimens grow upon you like the
hOmely face Of an agreeable woman, and,
in spite Of their ornamentatiOn Of turtles
snakes, and dragons, you find pleasure in
looking al them, and relief from the drea-
~ repetition Of classical and neurological
figures and scenes which Greece and Rome
have bcqueathed or imposed upon art.
But these nations are caricaturists, or,
a. least, minute unideslistic copyists, ra-
Their than students Of nature Their works
excite astonishment somewhat akin to
that with which we regard the tricks Of a
Juggler, but they are entirely devoid of the
soul and passion of true art. If they re-
present a peacock in bronze or embroidery,
1t is quite easy to recognize the bird, but
It Is evident that this artist has given more
labor to the delineation Of each particular
feather, than to the correct representation
Of the fowl
The bronzes Of the japanese department
have around them constant throng Of
admirers, and | think excite q more general
interest and curiosity than any other
single exhibit in the main building; as a
display Of skill, patience, ingenuity, and
exquisite finish, Europe has nothing that
will compare with them. The moulding
Of them is by no means the simple process
that We have become acquainted with, IN
the casting Of cannon ball and car wheels,
and the reason why Europe has produced
nothing as exquisite is | think because no
European race is so Vlciously patient.
The models for these bronzes are made Of
q very hard and fine wax, every hair,
feather, ahd line, is represented with the
most laborious care; the mold is then pre-
pared by applying successive coats of the
finest sand mixed with 6re-proof paste,
to tie wax model The first coat is the
one requiring the greatest labor and skill,
every crease and indentation Of the wax
nodded must be nicely filed, then sue
ceeding coats Of the same preparation are
applied, amounting sometimes to hundreds
Of applications and consuming months in
the process until the mold is three or four
inches thick The wax mold is now melted
and poured out Of the mold, and the
molten bronze is poured in. The vase or
statue Is then complete, but it cannot be
seen until the thick, hard, incrustation of
sand and paste has been removed, pro-
cess almost as tedious as was its applica-
ton.
The japanese commissioners knowing
the forte of their display have placed at the
entrance Of their exhibition a number of
superb bronzes, one of which an incens
burner, rests on bronze foundation, re-
presenting wares and cavevnous sea rocks,
in which dwells a mystical sea monster
The vase is surrounded by hocks OF birds.
and surmounted by an eagle with a ser
pent in its beak. The Pennsylvania Art
Museum desired to buy this piece, but
could not pay the price q, 500, and it has
been purchased for that sum by the South
Kensington Museum, and will be taken to
England when the Exposition closes.
The centre Of attraction in the China
exhibition is a most deliberately carved
and canopied bedstead the beholder is at
loss whether to admire the skill and
patience that produced in wood such pro-
fuse and exquisite clusters of lOaves.
vines, fruits, birds, and animals, or wheth-
er to be Disguised with a people that
piques itself upon such admirable trif1inq.
No exhibit OF either of these nations
sXcites more interest than the natives
themselves. The Chinese from a physical
standpoint are certainly the more admir-
able; they are larger, more dignifed than
the Japanese, and they wear their native
dress, which is flowing, graceful, and sug.
gestive Of comfort. The Japanese have
all adopted cur latest fashions, and their
meagre bodies and handy legs arrayed in
coats and pantalooDs and surmounted with
stoVeplpe mats appear 10 the worst advan-
tages.
CENTENNIAL NOTES.
Yesterday, decoration day, there was
the largest attendance, nearly fifty thous-
and, that there has been since the 10th OF
May. Every train that has arrived for
the last forty eight hours has brought con-
manderies of knight Templars it il estim-
ated that 80, 900 are now in the city, they
will parade tomorrow on horseback .
grand pageant is anticipated.
The Turks continue to unpack and ar
range their exhibits in spite Of dynastic
changes at home.
Only small portion of tie Russian en-.
hibition is yet displayed, but nat is pro-
missing, consisting Of beautiful tables,