Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1878-07-10
ELxoANr TAPESTRY.

ELE0ANT TAPESTRY.
A superb collsction Of aosslins 1t the
Paris Exposition.
Boston journal Correspondence.
He would be an unsympathetic person
indeed who could remain unimpressed
before such triumphso of human industry
as these rich tapestries which the old
Gobelins have sent to delight the eyes of
the millions. Nearly all the works ex-
hibited are intended for the decoration
of some public building in France, and
one or two of them are masterpieces.
Yesterday the workmen were putting in
place in the pavilion a superb carpet
made for the palace at Fontainebleau. l
had not dreamed that such productions
were possible in our prosaic modern day,
The carpet is ~singularly bright in color,
but delicate in pattern, despite its enor-
nous proportions. The amount of labor
and time represented in it is something
almost incredible. But the glories Of
the pavilion are the tapestries, which are
either copies of paintings or bold com
positions. An original tapestry called
aThe Conqueror," completed in 1868, is
perhaps the most remarkable work in the
collection. It represents a classic war
rior receiving a laurel crown from the
hands of the goddess "Glory." That
such a composition, which resembles at
a little distance the most careful paint
ing, should be woven, and perhaps the
r,;ov, hands - o1wDsf suaon.
~prehensible. The gradations of color
are managed with as much skill Is If the
materials were paint and canva rather
than warp and wool. The secret which
old Giles Gobelin possessed when he
came up Il, Paris and began bus
mess in a modest establishment on
the banks of the Bicore, and the
secret of the scarlet dye has evident
ly been well preserved in the tradi-
tions of the house-for here it is, burn
ing and flashing in the sunlight which
g~lances into che hall. Little did the
Gobelin Brothers imagine, when they
left Rheims to begin life as modest dy-
ers, that their fame would be bruited
through the hemispheres, and that their
tapestries would rival those of China
and remotest Ind in color, while in de-
sign they would be immeasurably SUI
perior. The house of the Gobelins has
been the property of the state since
1867, and tapestries made there in the
early days are now priceless as much
because Of the strange, bloody, or fan.
tastic histories connected with them as
because Of their intrinsic beauty. None
of these new products of the matches.
mandatory have a. yet any historical
value. But looking at Mazerolle's ex'
~ouisite panels, which are to decorate
, the buffet of r~efreshment rooms at The
Grand Opera, / could not help thinking
how, three hundred years from now
unless some improbable accident shoulC
occur in that t~ime-bright eyes will b.
gazing on the charming figures, ther
grown somewhat dingy with time, anc
some mind may perhaps recall the fac
that they were first exhibited at a fail
in Paris in those "good old Anticipated
/ times" of 1878. What orgies in poll
tics, in society; what changes in music
and. song these handsome panels viii
have witnessed in the centuries! Maze
ROLES work is purely decorative, bu
Gobelins have permeated it with a higl
artistic feeling worthy of graver compo
sitions. In so rich and palatlal an edi
flee as the Grand Opera nothing can b,
common or mediocre. The different pan
els represent fruits, the vine, tea, coffee
the fishery, the chase, and each is typi
fed by a lovely panel picture.
What rosy hues, what wealth of colo
in the clusters of grapes, in the wings O
birds, in the foliage of the tea plant
from which a demure Chinese damsel i
culling some of the most fragrant twigs
Mazcrolles seems to have been born
painter. These panels for the oper:
buffet are a study for hours. They ar
dispersed through the great pavilion, a
the head of the group to which they be
long, in the French section. Near tn
"Conqueror," mentioned above, hangs
fine copy of ~Ghirlandjo's Visitation,
and not far away is a copy Of C~orreggio'
"Saint Jerome" done by Maillart. In
genuity allied to the highest taste ant
most distinguished talent could 60 m
farther than in this copy, which draw
around it thousands of admiring fol-
every day. There are many other relig
ious subjects here, among them the Vii
gin of Sassoferato, copied by Munier
This tapestry is also furnished with
very elaborate border flooded with beau
tiful colors-the labor Of Charles Durand
In the inner court of the pavilion. facin
toward the interior Of the palace, han
two grand tapestries destined for the ne,
Hotel de Vile of Paris. They are 9Th
Earth and 1.-THE Sea-" copied fror
lie Bruins majestic compositions, ant
with some trifling exceptions in the set
ond Of the two, are faultless. PerhaI
the artists of the GObelins have nc
quite succeeded in representing the tun
Bling green waves, out Of which old NeF
tune and his joyous throng of conct
blowers, or mermaids and merry fshe
are supposed to be coming, but the genel
al effect isexceedingly fine. In additio
to these important pieces, there ar
many smaller onces, nearly all perfec
in execution and miraculous in idelit
Of color. "A" Saint Agnes" after a d.
sign by Steinheil, is admirable. tn
ministry Of fine arts and public instrut
ton is doing everything in its power t
encourage the renowned Gobelins to n
newed and more important effort.