New-York tribune., 1878-05-31

| English copy of Eastern work | have ever seen.
| Taking the dining room as n whole. and looking
into 1t through the heavy portieres of sage-green
and maroon with which the doorways are hung. and
| making allowance for the newness of everything,
the effect is very much what the artists meant IL to
he. If you cannot quite believe yourself in an Eliza
bethan acobean hall You at least understand what
period has been aimed at and you will admire the
sincerity of the effort, the nicely of the workman
ship, the feeling and artistic skill which have
presided the whole. and the immense stride
which decoration has made in England.
The Princess boudoir, a small octagon offers a
complete contrast with its blue satin panels with
plaStcrs of creamy silk in raised gold and colors
It's satin wood furniture. the exquisite inlaylng
and carving panels in cabinets and doors, the room
touched throughout with pretty fancies and light
hand The Princes morning or smOkingrOOn, OF
similar size and shape. carries us back to n more
English STYLE now called modern, with which the
japanese iSintrrwoyen the whole kept down with
Oriental feeling for shades and neutral tints and
hues HAT are equally lovely and indescrbable. The
dado is of English velvet, which is not ruby, nor
maroon. nor garnet, but the color of a chestnut
from which the burr has just been torn of. The
panels above are sage green velvet frcze of yell
lowi>-g green is embroidered with semi-grotesque de-
signs from japanese life of wlfuy brilliant silks.
Rosewood is used for the furniture. with ivory and
lac panels; the chairs upholstered in a light mo-
rocco, which il a mistake that might easily be
altered if there were time. Here, as elsewhere. the
beauty Of the English textile fabrics is surprise,
and there is more and more evidence that artist and
weaver at last beginning to yield to tie Oren-
tai spirit against which they have 50 obstnately
struggled, even when protesting to reproduce Ori-
entail design and color The Engsiman, or any
other European is slow to admit that the Oriental
has sense of color subter and purcr than any
of Western birth possesses. He has been nj some
pains to copy the worst and most modern products
of India and Japan, meanwhile debauchng the
artists Of those countries by his demands for dyes
fashionable in London and Paris. Latteriy he has
begun to perceive that what he rejected as defects
III design. sprung directly from its artistic motive,
aud that what he dcspised in color bart of a
scheme that could not be improved without spoil
ing it,
Besides McssrS Gill0w d Co. Whose work Is not
offered in competition for any prizes the official
catalogue gives list of eighteen other firms who
have contributed to the Pavilion; and their offer
ings are enumerated under the suggestive heading,
" Industrial Art Manufactures" and these lall from
Nr-sTs Gillow designs are selected " represent
ing contemporary British work in various styles
Michael Andrews. of Belfast, sends table linen :;
~
ton & 90. a rcpous.f silycr.gilt dessert service.
which seems commonplace enough; Tcctham 4 Co.,
the CRATES Minton the china service and vases,
which, elaborate and technically perfect they
may be- are not IN the highest style of ceramic art ;
Powell A Co.. the stained glass; which is mostly
quiet and good the Royal School of Art Needle
work. ol which the Princess Christian Is PRESIDENT
and the Ladies Work society, of which the Prn
cc,. Louise j. president. ombroldrries and sundry
others. ! hear that the French exhibitors. whose
furniture Is hardly yet visible, are foremost IN cX-
pressing their surprise and admiration at the gen
cra exc, Hence of the English work on the Pavilion
The French cannot bee expected 10 care much for
Elzab,thau or Queen Anne STYLES, aS styles; their
own genius leading them in very different paths
Bat they have a quick scusibility for work of any
kind iu which an artistic quality is discoyerablc,
and thcy are couno,scurs in technical nic"tics.
They may find much TO admire among some OF the
oth,r British upho-tcrcrs, with whom | hope To
finish N another letter. q. W. :.