Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-03-17
FROM PARIS.
TWO ART SOCIETIES THEIR E4HIBI-
TIoNs AND ENTERTAINMENTS.
The Preparations Made for Celebrating
Victor Hugo's Eightieth Birth
day-A Notable Event


PARIS, February IL, 1881.
Previous to the opening of the salon nu-
merous small exhibitions of art take place
throughout Paris at the d fferent literary
and artistic clubs. These exhibitions differ
in more than one respect from the grand
public one, inasmuch es the majority of
the artists, or great portion of them, are
amateurs whose social standing has opened
the door of the club to them, but whose
artistic talents would probably not open
to them the door OF the salon. Then, al
though some Of the most celebrated artists
are members of the society, no large can
vases are ever seen, no grand lnterpreta-
lion effected. All pictures, in fact, are of
small size, such as would properly adorn
private salon but that does not prevent
some of them being veritable chefs d8avre.
There are two of these clubs, the one OF
Oldest date and the largest being that OF the
Place Vendome, to which artists of long
standing only belong, for instance, Gerome
and others, who no longer expose at the
salon, but permit some private order to be
here exhibited before being delivered to
the owner This society is formed OF the
members of the Jockey Club, the richest
and most influential social organization OF
the French capital. Their exhibitions take
place IN a large rotunda built expressly for
the purpose, and on the floor above, ex-
tending over the front part OF the building,
are the spacious and elegant rooms of the
club. On entering the door leading to
TIRE ART ROOMS,
One immediately inhales an atmosphere of
luxury and elegance; there stands whole
regiment Of servants in rich liveries Of
knee breeches and buckled shoes, who look
at your card and indicate the direction you
are to take. You follow 4 hall. one side
composed of an immense mirror, the other
side Of red velvet drspery, while you walk
on soft velvet carpet, after which you en-
ter very large room furnished and adorned
In the same manner, where velvet fau-
teufls and eofas line the walls or
i'll the center of the room. 1t is from
this room, where tired visitors repose, that
You enter the art gallery. There is the
same soft carpet for your feet, and aside
from the agreeable effect produced by the
collection Of charming pictures, the statues
and statuettes, placed on pedestals and scat
tered through the center of the room, In
crease the attractiveness and beauty of the
surroundings. One of the liveried servants
seated behind a table hands you a cata.
logue as YOU pass in, and which you de-
post on the same table on going cut. In
order to penetrate into this precinct sacred
to art. you must be armed with card
such as are distributed in rather large mum.
bers to all the members of the club, who
distribute them to their friends, and who,
in turn, lean them to their acquaintance,
for the same card serves during the entire
exhibition. As may be seen, in this way a
great many persons are admitted, while the
vulgar crowd are kept ct distance, and a
select character is given to the entertain
ment. 1t Is in fact for the reason that the
attendance on these exhibitions is a privi-
lege that the beau monde hasten to profit
by it indeed it is genre which the rich
and elegant affect, although their artistic
tastes may never have received any Guilt
walton or encouragement. The social
nature of these clubs is not entirely de-
voted to painting and sculpture, for litera-
ture also has its share. and often
DELIGHTFUL ENTERTAINMENTS
Are given in the evening, when a little
comedy of one of the members is played
by the most distinguished artists of the
different theaters, who manage to some
times render an indifferent play agreeable
and the soiree exceedingly pleasant. Some
times it is small comedy by some we'll.
known writer, who thus keeps 6p the
general interest of the society and main
tains its eclat, since these pieces are never
reproduced elsewhere, and only friends of
the members of the club are permitted to
epiov them. Whereas the elected few are
members of this club, many young artists
of growing talent. but neither rich nor
vet famous enough, are entirely shut out
in the cold, so that some three or four
wears ago they decided on creating a club
for themselves, which they did, calling
It the Cerele ArtistiqUe ct Lateraire, and the
rooms were established on the Rue Volney
With the cooperation of some rich bour.
geois and lovers of art and literature, one
large sale, with hall and private staircase,
were fitted up with much less richness and
elegance than the other club, but with
comfort and attractiveness. A number of
lackeys are also in attendance, but their
more modest attire corresponds with the
surroundings. This club has held an ex-
bibition since the first of this month, to
close on the 18th. There are quite a num-
Der of pictures, all. with the exception of
two or three. small in size, and while there
i nothing salient the average is very good
and the exhibition exceedingly interesting.
MANY artists who belong to the club of the
Place Vendome belong also to this for
instance. Oarolus Duran, VINO exposes
two portraits of children-one the little
son OF his friend, Jules Qairetie, well
l,newn Frerch novelist ard dramstist per-
bars the most prolific writer of the pres
emit day. Although many persons refuse
RI accept Carolus Duran as painter OF
rauch superior talent, since he possesses
no inaciu alton or art CT composition, yet
are all Obliged to concede that no modern or
anc;ept artist, unless we except the cheruos
of Muriiio, has ever painted children with
such truthfulness and beauty. he has
created his enviable reputation principally
through portraits of his own. children, for
he has quite large family, and it IS easy
TO believe that paternal affection has on
many occasions inspired his brush. st
tbis exposition is TO be seen most be2utl-
fnI email by Michel Bouquet, which repre-
cots a LANDSCAPE OF varied eolcrs and