The New York herald., 1877-12-17

none bat gnary pictures OF those stupendous ed-
Hces on the banks OF the Tgris which crumbed ages
ages ago
Persia and Medea have advanced but little in ar
tstic SKILL It seems, since the times OF great Cyrus
and Canbyses. The embroideres and metal orna-
menls which from there of slight intrinsic
or artistic value Not So however, tho lew but rare
relics OF Western Asia, Of the old Phencians ana
Hebrews The smen OF Sidon" were earliest in tho
possession OF the secrets OF purple dye tho manuac
of glass and ths casting OF metals They learned
weaving from tho Babyioniana All the artistic lux
uries mentioned by Homer originate, as rule, IRON
the men of sidon and not Of the costliest tapes
tres now produced arc alleged copies OF their rude
but expensive skill
Tho wealth OF products from India which are pro-
jected nowadays into the American markets. Is fariy
dazzling. No region earth besides has ever or
probably could ever, have produced so groat and en-
chanting variety OF rich and sumptuous articles,
specimens OF which now displayed In the ware
houses and bazaars Of New York city The great In
dian peninsula predestined to an exclusive civil'za-
ton by its Isolation and advantages slopes from tho
oitiest Himalayas down IN grand terraces, through
every climate until It thrusts Its tspering point far
into tho Indian Ocean Separated from the northern
countries by rocky walls, enclosed west and east
by the rivers of Indus and Brahmaputra, the I'M
mense territory OF anterior India watered by hum
drcd intermediate streams. Half the pleasure which
the mind oil rational man or an enthusiastic woman
derive from the possession OF an article from an
Indian forest Indian loom should lie In the PIC
It conures up of the art history and lie oi that
favored region through which the sacred Ganses ana
its tributary Djumna--the consecratcd Duao-now-
region where, twelve centuries before Christ, tho
magnificent capitals OF the Brahmmicai rulers,
Hastinapurus lndraprasies ard Madura were already
rearcd a region in winch, further down the Ganges
cities existed oil such giant size that London Paris
and New York, all put together, would have matched
but one of their suburbs
Even by the gorgeous emorolderes which are re-
peatcd the designs of that remote period In tho
robes sent IRON India last week ono is brought
close to the uxuriant nature and life Of ancient Hin
dostan. Before the Hindoo were the phenomena OF
all zones from the Ice and scanty moss OF the glacier
world TO the rank growths and majestic palms OF the
tropics. Captlvated Dy this wonderful nature his
Imagination was continually filled with brilliant
images His character became stamped with calm
stead ad'astness and luxurious enjoyment. From tho
first everything wac favorable his art development
except his religion.
The religion OF Brahminism Che ancient. fantastic,
polytheistic bolieD corrupted for centuries by It's
spiritess formula, It's mechanical hypocrisy and de-
mind. In Buddhism q purified, moro human
and more heartfelt system OF ideas. From tho
victorious OF Buddhism under King AcoKa,
$50 years before Christ the monumental and other
artistic creations OF India began to flourish. They
continued be erected afer The return OF Brahmln
ism during the Christian Then were constructed
those famous stupas or tomb mounds, and those i'm
mense caves or dwelling places OF the Indian
monks which have sstonished tho people or
succeeding ages In the caves Of EIlora
aud Eiephanta, hewn out of granite noun
tans in scmicirces q mile in circumference,
obtain glimpscs OF that lavish abundance OF plastic
which repeated and copied tor us In tiles
and tapestry and bronze to-day The whole interior
surfaces OF these covered in strange regu
arty with the creations OF Brnhmnca symbolism
forms OF men and animals IN wild complexty and dis
order; Ataiantes-like figures apparently supporting
the entablature; iions elephants and curousy fash
oned composite beings, the whole chisced with
.sservie assiduity OF execution" The truly arch-
tec,ura MEMBERS especially tho FREQ supports, which
have to bear the weight OF the rocky ceiling,
iormcd in q most capricious and varied manner.
VII
Tho Indian figures which are represented In the
selections from Indian sculpture and painting In
New York are mostly those OF gods and divinities.
The Indian Trinity-Brahma, silva and vichnu-thir-
teen lesser divnities ana sope of the countless
demons gods OF the Indian Olympus appear.
They bear expression OF profound reflection and
earnest contemplation, combined with grave smpli-
city.
Evidently these figures wero created not from dis
tinct conceptions, but out OF dreamy fancies and
mystical speculations. Art is hero the hand
maid a worship which finds approach to
God In SYMBOLS OF monstrous kind. Whenever,
~ tha forvn rf h,etor unft thn1r
wonderful destiny to be portrayed, whenever
deep and mysterious OF the unapproacaabe
TO bc manifested, but outwardy symbolic access
rcsorted to and vague attempts at express
sion we're produced by heaps of WINGS heads, arms
and legs or quaint combinations of animals and human
bodies There rs rarely shown clear conception OF
the simple circumstances OF daily life, and of
historical events An unbrdled fancy riots especially
In the attempted dencation Of dramatic scenes
as screen In Broadway establs hment
where six-armed Durga, consort OF the daunt-
less silva, surrounded by crowd OF lighting
and fallen, rushcs madly forward to destroy
gigantic ull-headed demon. Whenever the
other hand state OF calm is to be depicted
In stronger touches and simpler groups, then Indian
art often displays a tenderly attractive grace deli
OF nature and touching naivete Of feel
ing In scenes an idyllic kind the mode OF execution
pecally Indian plastic the expression
OF womanly beauty. and thcro copies in
ivory of Indian antiques which would many
Occidental sculptor to grasp distrustiully at his
laurels
China and japan are both superby represented in
tho present holiday displays All the old stores
devoted to the sale Of articles from these countries
show greater activity than cvcr and several
have been opened Houses which import directly
from China Japan are established at several places
on Broadway. Front Water John Pearl streets, in
Astor place and In sixth avenne
comparison OF Chinese with Indian art shows
that the former likewise received its impulse from
Buddhism which began to spread INTO China about dity
years before Christ, and gradually acquired exclusive
sway. But since the Chinese n sobcrly intelli-
gent and practically wisc people, according to
thor lights, with a preponsera,ng attention TO