The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1878-07-06
Our Letter from Enr4ne,
The Paris Exposition.


Al last the aart galleries Of the mai
building may be said to be Substantial
~ finished, but regret TO add ska
the grand palace of the Troeadero
from which SO much was promised,
SO far only a Monumcnt of tha
" vaplting ambition wticI, overleap
4tself and falls ON the other side.'
One solitary work of art graces tn.
noble vestibule Of the palace wlicl
We all supposed was TO contain al
exposition of the assembled genius q
the world. The work l speak of j.
Waiting for the Signal in bronze, by
Gerome, and few nobler works of art
are to be found in the entire Exposi-
ton. The scene is the Roman arena
a gladiator has fallen in the combat
and his victorious adversary stands
over him with uplifted sword to give
the final blow; the one who has fallen
raises up his head and hands with an
lmphring look of mortal agony and
fear. The work is noble aud worthy
of the great artist; but, as I said be-
fore, the art galleries of the main
building are finished, and now, from
the banks of the Seine to the Ecole
Nilitaire, it is one continued ant con-
gress Of nations. France occupies
considerably more than one-llalf of
the entire ground ; and, on the whole,
the exhibition, considering the oc-
easlon, is far from satisfactory. While
there are some works of sgperiatiye
genius, respectable uediocrity pre-
walls and the pleasure which the visi.
tor Yonnld otherwise experience, is
marrea by a gross vulgality and in
delicacy, US shocking as it is disgust
ing. ! do not now allnde particularly
to the great number ef nude figures
that offend tho eye at evely turn, so
much as the gross aepeualism which
is calculated to brutalize and degrade
instead ef sleystipg and refining.
Some of the interpretations of French
art are an inyincible argument in the
hands of those who believe in the
doctrine Of total aeprayitty. old.
worn and hackneyed iis am forced,
by the necessities of my profession.
into frequent disreputable assoeia-
tions, | confess | never pass through |
this portion Of the Exposition with
ont p feeling Of Humiliation aud burn |
ing shhme ut the ytllgalrrs degradation
OF u noble art, which should admins |
ter IN its highest Interpretation to the
pqrest and lfoliest qualification known
to thg nHuInd Vf nFi,l. knnw that
there are plenty of these travelled So.
Ions and wonlld-Ae critics, male and
female, who esteem it an especial
merit that fhey have arrived at q con-
iition OF thnFaHgh and brutaIized in-
and they talk leafnedly
about the iaecessitlEs oF art (; but if
rOu want Il know wbat art is, in it's
highest, its nnblest aud holiest inter-
pretation, go into the Austrian De.
Which is one of the grand
st and pnrest in the entire Exposi-
ion. While there is everything to
Inspire and elevate, there is nothing
o offend or degrade. The English, +
American Ind Italian Departments
lls6 slihre this general commendation.
shall return to this subject ut an
'arly lay, bl5,ft noY want to aay n
vord about the clIiarsctefi' Of this Great
raining school, for no sketes ct Paris f
an be perfect without i EIaWledge !
# its art life and the methods by I,
which it is pursued. Paris is full of
Oung men and young women who
ave enteled the race for fame, some
t whom stake, not only their bodies,
nut their souls on the doubtful cen-
est. A place in the royal galleries
t the Louyrc, or in the splendid col
eetisH of tile Palais de lIndustrie,
re the tempting prizes that lure them .
u ; or, it they are singers, the plaud-
IS of the Italians or laundering viyas
t the Grand Opera. They come here
rom happy homes in England and
Lmeric;s aud countless numbers of
hem perish in the race. i
They study in Germany and Italy, (
ut Paris is the final Mecca fo''wlicl ,
hey turn, aud not onefif hundred {
ever heard of after. Nowonder that I
lie poorimdtiis who seek distihetion ,
n'the lyric stage are lured OH I'd iriIliin. {
he dazzling splendor of the Grand !
Ipera has no parallel in the worltl. ,
N fashionable opera night'the Bou- I
.vard' de roperas" Which ;gtIetelles I
way tbEsrsls tlIe TniIePies, is all one /
lage Of glory; electric lights fash in
very directions, turning night almost
isp day; mounted chassears guard |
very crossing aud every ayenne, and !
,ldiefs, in splendid uniforms, lie the
assages and stahd senti1el at the :
oors. The builling, which IS the !.
lost magnificent and imposing dra- I