Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-29
IMPRESSIONS OF AMERICA.
Things that Struck the Eye Of q Great
French Artist.

BENJAMIN Constant in Boston Transcript
1t Is hardly necessary, think, for me TO say
how greatly was impressed with the ladies of
America, not only with their personal charms
for Of those had heard much before leaving
Europe and had also seen something among
my American female pupils and the visitors to
my studio-but with their mental qualities and
accomplishments. With them culture is, in
many instances, carried to its highest point
The husband may be, and usually is, absorbed
in his business or his profession, but his wife,
IN the midst of her household cares and
her social occupations, finds time for collecting
and approaching all that is beautiful and note
worthy in art. The American woman is, in
many respects, first cousin to the Parisienne.
She has the same power Of quick assimilation
OF new ideas. and also the same taste in dress.
One point in American female beauty that
greatly struck me was the fine mould and pro-
portion OF the ladies' arms. Superb in form
and faultless in coloring, they are worthy of
naturalization in the marble that they 30
resemble.
ELEGANT FURNISHING IN HOUSES.
Another detail that greatly pleased me was
the elegance and the artistic style of furnish
ing to be found, not only in the mansions of
the American millionaires. but in the homes
OF persons OF comparatively limited means
A"seo ohu ASuueucut RUE supreme III the
choice and in the arrangement OF the furniture
and the decorations.
But in proportion as the American interiors
are charming, the exterior of the houses is
dreadful. 1t would be a blessing to New York
II some ipcendiary should set to work and ut
terly destroy the whole of Fifth avenuel Those
long rows OF houses, all in the same gloomy
hue OF dusky brown, always gave me a fit Of
depression whenever I looked at them An
American, no matter how colossal his wealth,
does not seem to care about the outside of his
splendid home. The result is that those
drown stone fronts look like gigantic cakes
OF chocolate. But within the delighted visitor
finds all the treasures of an art museum, in
Guiding rarities that might be coveted for ma
tional galleries like that of the Louvre.
ARCHITECTURAL PROGRESS.
was told that new ideas respecting archi-
lecture were rapidly making their way in the
United States. The American pupils of our
own school of architecture are also introducing
elements of progress that cannot fail to make
themselves evident before long. In art, as in
all other respects, America is a land of pro-
gress. Her superabundant vitality impels her
children along thousand roads, every one of
which tends upward.
In no respect is this progress more visible
than in the private art collections of the United
States. Those formed quarter OF a century
or even twenty or fifteen years ago, contain, as
a rule, few masterpieces among a large pro-
portion OF weak and worthless works. But Of
late years Americans buy not only with dis
elimination, but with admirable Judgment
They seek for the best works OF the greatest
European painters, and are satisfied with moth
ing inferior. The change in the art ideas in
the United States may be exemplifed by the
growing demand for the works OF Delacroix.