The Hawaiian gazette., 1879-02-26
WEDNESDAY,. FEB. 20. 1879.
The RothschiId Chateau.

The RoIhschiid Chateau.
With princely liberality Baron Roshsehild ad-
mits any one TO his Fairyland who takes the
trouble 10 write for permission and, however
much We may have been thinking of HarOun al
Raschid. King Solomon. and the thousand and
Oue Nights beforehand, We shall not be dlsap-
pointed. The very pane Of Rothschild Ills Us
with awe and beSilderment. We prepare our
selves 10 be dszzled with gold aud gems. TO
tread on carpets gorgeous as peacocks' tails.
softer than elder down; We pass through Jasper
and porpbyry coiumns into regal balls where the
acme OF splendor can 90 no further, where the
walls are hung with tapestry and crimson satin.
where every chair looks ike throue, and where
on all sides the mirrors reflect the treasures col
lected from all parts of the world And we are
not disappointed. Quitting the railway at the
cheerful. wealthy little town OF Llgny, We drive
past handsome country houses and well-kept
fower-gardens. aud then gradually ascend road
winding amid bill and valley up to the chateau
q graceful structure in white marble, or so il
seems. proudly commanding the wide landscape
The fowerg6rdens are . blaze of colors. and the
oraugetrees give delicious fragrance a. we ascend
the terrace; ascend. indeed. being hardly the
word applicable TO steps slipping so easily up
ward. and so nicely adjusted to the human foot,
that climbing Mont Blanc under the same CIR
eumstaDces could be accomplished without Ia
tigue. Ii is impossible to give any idea OF the
different kinds Of magni6cence that greet US on
every side Now little Vatican world 10 tap
estries having for background sky-blue satin and
roses; now diniDg-hsll, sombre, gorgeous and
majestic as that OF Spanish palace; now We are
transported to Persia, China and Japan next
we 6ud ourselves amid unspeakable treasures OF
Italian and other marbles. To come down to
practical details. it might be suggested TO the
generous owner Of this noble treasure-house OF
art that the briefest possible catalogue Of his
choicest treasures would unspeakably Oblige his
visitors There is hardly piece Of furniture that
Is not interesting alike from a historic and arts
TIC point of view, while some are chefs d'euvre
both in design aud execution, and dazzlingly rich
in material. Among these may he mentioned Q
pair of chimney ornaments thieky hung with
pendants Of precious stones; piano which be
longed to Msria ArtoiBette-the case OF which
is formed of tortoise she'll richly decorated with
gold cahipet set with emeralds, sapphires
aud other Jewels another composed Of yariou:
precious stones; chairs and couches covered
| with exquisite tapestry Of the Louis Quinzt
| period some rare specimens OF old cE0LSSoHH'
| work. also Of FIorentine mosaics-these forming
| small part OF this magnificent museum. The
striking feature is the great quantity and variety
| OF rich marbles in every part. One of the stair
cases is entirely formed Of different kinds OF rart
| marble, the effect being extraordinarily imposing
! Elsewhere a room is divided By 0ornthian col
unns of jasper and pofphyry, and on every sid'
| is displayed wealth and splendor in this re
| spect quite unique. Without doubt, nothin!
| lends such magniicence to interiors as marbles
bot they require the spacousness and princelI
ness of such chateau as this to be displayed Il
I cd Nav. IN n
I mere decoration, must be cited the tapestries. o
which there is 8 rare and valuable collection
chiefly 10 the ball, soeslled. and where they ar
arranged about the running gallery surmountin!
the pictures. What this hall must be wort
would perhaps sound fabulous on paper; it
here that some Of the most precious cablnets ar
found treasures of ivory, ebony, gems, gold an
silver; and the pictures alone represent u PriI
cess dowry. Examples of some of the grea
masters are here-Velasquez Rembrandt, Rel
bens, Claude Lorraine Borione. Reynolds; lastly
among moderns, Ingres and HippoIyte Flandril
Much might be said about the pictures if spac
permitted. but they alone are worth making tn
journey from Paris to see. But the creme de
creme Of Baron RothschIld's treasures is not /
be found 10 this sumptuous hall, 10 spite of Tar
estnes. pictures, marbles, and rare furniture, nj
in q state salon, but in one of the dining-room
amarSelOusly rich and gorgeous apartment. wher
the wealth Of gold and splendor is toned dow
and the eye is rather refreshed than dazzed b
the whole. On the walls, reaching from base I
ceiling, are hung series of SIX paintings Q
leather. known as the cuirS de COrdoHe,
leather paintings from Cordova. They are hi:
torical aud alegorical subjects. and are painte
in rich eolors, with great abundance of gold, Z
brown background the general effect beir
that of a study in gold aud brown. When looks
at narrowly We find great dramatic interest |
the subjects, and uniform masteriness of ex
cution, but withou: q catalogue it is impossib
to give any accurate idea Of these goTgeo
paintings. The entire department of Seine-e
Marne perhaps offers no greater rarity than the
paintings on leather from Cordova of which '
would fam know the history.-Frdssr's Nag
zine