The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-01
THE PARIS EXPOSITION.
MARGARET SULLIVAN CONTRIBUTES
ANOTHER PAPER.
She Says by the Failure to Suppress the
Inferiority OF the Merely Initiative
Art the Management Has Weakened
Great Exhibit.

PARIS, May 3l.-A few observations
may BIO added 10 what cabled you last
Saturday about the art department OF the
Exposition. In failing TO repress the oh.
yious inferiority Of merely initiative art,
the management has weakened great ex-
hibit. AS result tho exhibit has ac-
quired an artificial magnifcence by the
proiuson OF huge scenic works. many Of
them as large as the itinerant Munkacsys
and Verestchagins, not possessed OF
greater intrinsic mort, but generally SUI
perior in purely decorative quality and
essentially dramatic strength. How posi-
lively these so-called historical and scenic
compositions dominate the entire exhibit
may DO conjecehred from the fact that
they arc nearly half OF the whole
number Of works exhibited. Bearing to
true art the same relation that Froude's
historical writings bear TO history, having
in history only the tolerated place Of the
historical novel in fiction, having dlmen-
slons without dignity, protesting veritabe-
ness but lacking authenticity and sacrifice
ing facts TO tho exigencies OF grouping,
color, schemes and mere effectiveness,
they arouse the wild admiration Of nco-
phytes and win the applause OF those to
whom color and action, apart from any
higher value In point, are awesome. Many
OF the works primarily designed only for
the decoration of public ediilcesa are wholly
above this censurc, and have not been,
probably cannot DO surpassed in the &C.
complishment OF their ond.
II is true that some OF the huge can
vases are devoted 10 ostcnsibly sacred
and moral themes. But whether great or
moderate In superficial measure the relig-
ious works are not spiritual. They never
melt tho soul nor bend tho knee. Even
when n Ionncr paints a cruci6xion he
hangs upon the cross u ilaccid, common
place figure. His SaintSebastian is meek,
but not heavenly There are dozen cru.
ciiixions or illustrations Of tho life OF
Christ in the various national exhibitions.
Not one OF them possesses a mark OF di-
vinity. The religious themes are painted
exactly In the same way rs the prolane
themes, exclusively from the objective
Not one indicates by the success OF the
effort that the artist believed in his
subject or felt for what II represents n
warmer glow OF love than for tho hat on
his dashing cavalier or tho wooden shoe
on tho foot OF his peasont. Mythology
still holds captive the sculptors, but tho
painters have preferred TO lodge their muse
In modern life. Only thirty.two works are
on themes drawn from Hellenic or Roman
literature, and these arc generally en-.
ploycd with fine effect The cattle paint
ors nro rare. The exhibition contains no
successors to Troyon, while sea and noun
tain no longer command deyolees In tho
art OF France. There is not one good
mountain study, and only ;hirty.thrcc
In which tho sea Is studied for Its
own charm. In none OF these Is
It's grandeur ever attempted. A striking
feature OF the exhibition Is the space given
TO what has been happily called the Jour
nalism Of art, the depletion of transitory,
but actual, episodes that enter into the
notation OF progress. Especially Is this to
bo observed in relation TO medicine and
surgery. Tho anecdolage Of the ago con.
s,itnlcs also iavorite thcmatis material.
Tho life ut tho time Is presented with
ygor, nicely and truth, bat, as a rule,
from the hlppant aud yivacious way OF
seeing even the serious.
The landscapes are the most numerous
after the scenic compositions. They arc,
as q rule, suporbly painted. The that
mont of light from the front Of the subject
Is the principle which has informed every
work descriptive OF nature. Tho painter
no longer studies nature from within hoi
scclusion. That Immortal charm Of Italian
landscape Of the highest class, that spell
which awoko In the breast OF Constabl,
aud gave a landscape art 10 England aud
, while the artist lived, established In spit,
OF national prejudice the truost laudscap,
school Of Francc-ihe principle OF insight
; has fled from the landscape painting o
, thoday The new principle Is outsight. Thu
word Il ~ new M the principle, but IL !
!, as vcrnablc. Whether he paint nature II
!. the rose OF the dawn or the pcnsvcncss o
twilight; whether Lc sock her face In tn
passion OF MONDAY or the tranquility o
tho slars the French painter must hav
o her close to his eyes, he must touch he
A with his hands, his lips must sweep lac
forehead. lie gives Ms landscapes there
= FORE whose features, by the very excel
lcnco Of lis artianship, arouse In us NOR
o delight than the theme itself w
forget the great mother In the al
sorhing talent OF her son. Tho populart
OF even spurious Corois and Rousscns,
better understood when ono diaCcrns no,
utterly He'd Is tho poet from the a,elicI
OF France. Facturc Is the god Of the az,
pasiyily, beautiful Indifference OF sent
mcnt, stiffness without ropose, or aciio
instant and Theatre, animate those ad
miablo landscapes. Their suporlaiiy,
ncss wears ono's powers OF appreciation
/. the very bone. Hunger aud thint for th
!, older school becomes consuming. On
n crosses the Threshold Of the galleries
n the Louvre 10 rest ones spirit in the Ian,
4 scapcs of Claude Lorraine, hali-dczcn
I, whose works possess more than a thousan
II "plain air" achievements. Thoro Is
n the French sculpture more or less OF Chi
~ worship Of execution, but Il IL not :
Il dcspotic and exclusive IA In the paintin.
~ Indeed, many OF the sculptures are not
W noble In idcality as they arr admimbl
~ In design. The perfect definition OF ar
- high imagination combined with splcndi
IA oSccution. NJ laid down by Philip Gilbe
4 llamcrion, describes only In hall the a
M Of France.
'u ANounu couple suicide.