New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-14
THE FRANCE OFOLDEN DAYS
BRILLIANT SHOW OF ANCIENT COSTUMES
AND FURAITURE-MARSHA IMAGINATION.


graphical exhibition of the Trocadero We Ind
in il a wax-hgure show of singular interest To
those wanting hints for fancy ball costumes lhere
is here the most complete collection That ever
WINS known Of the costumes of French peasaDts'
the furniture and utensils of rural France ID tine
Clden time, and other objects which enable us 10
see how rustics lived and worked before the age
OF steam and machinery The organizers oil tais
exhibition have revived the provincial demarca-
lions. We have the Norman. Briton Auvergne.
bearnas. Poilcvn, Vendesn and other proyln-
cial types In the Brittany interior we find an
deliberately carved presided in oak. The quilt
is OF bright holnespun WOODS, and was woven,
no doubt, by some village weaver, according to
patterns that had been handed down from a remote
antiquity The table, also rich in quaint scuipt-
ure hes on IL the fac-simile OF a buc<wheat cake
made in colorsd pateboard and looking so like the
real thing as 10 take in Brittany peasants visiting
the exhibition men in picturesque garments
cuts long loaf OF bread. Another pours cider
from a big jug Of peculiar shape and design into
a bright faience cup. An old man and woman
are busy al the fireplace. making pancakes on
sriddIe. Beautiful old faiences ranged on
the tall mantel-piece.
There similar wax-fgure groups TO represent
the other provinces Of old France. Beautiful
Aresiennes are given among the Provencai types,
and the county of Nice is not left out. The women
in the Mica subdivision are Italians in their style
of dress, wearing loose and wdc-sleeved chemises
rising almost to the neck, aud held at the
waist by o bodcecestus. patter-shaped
hat in straw in lieu OF the
exduistey neat muslin cap, which Northern
peasant women affect. The peasant iewelry
is not the least remarkable feature Of this cx-
hbtion Jewellers might study with advantage
the glass cases filled with these Jewels. Ihoso
Of the South Of France show that the remote
antiquity of Greece and Rome has, through rural
tradition, been influencing village taste down
TO our time. Greek mythology supplied. time
out Of mind notions to rustic artihcers On the
horns of the cowboys Of the CamargIe we find
still the images of sirens quantity engraved
The earrings are very beautiful. Gold Is the
favorte metal II is easy 10 understand why.
What metal is so malleable? So little OF 10
goes so far that very long and large pendano
earring may weigh next 10 nothing. Ieasanb
women dislike heavy earrings, which dishgure
ears but love snowy ones pair OF big gold
pendants give charming animation to head
and brighten il up
The Norman has a passion for howers' MS
cottage il embelished with climbing roses, ana
the borders of his little kitchen garden are bright
with blooming plants. But he seldom seeks for
beauty outside of nature whereas the Breton peas
ant tries 10 find it in his own creations. WHAT
ever he touches often he wants 10 beautliy. In
the raw and fogzy corner Of France into whicn
the Gaul was driven by Roman and Franklsh in-
vaders. and in which he kept intact his ethno-
logical characteristics he strove 70 keep alive bus
recollection of brighter skies in bright clothes
and pottery, which might be garish were II NOT
for the harmony of its coloraton. The French
4, hoe of brig
knows how to combine them without suffering
then, 70 iar I recommend 10 the attention not
only of archaeolOgists but Of lovers OF what IS
picturesque and original in decorative arts, the
engraved chucl-stOnes jack-stones), charms, and
amulets which are exhibited in the Breton, the
| Berri and the Marche sections.
The Celtic race in France is purest in the high
lands of the Marche and nowhere Is the artistic
instinct stronger in the peasant and the urban
working classes One who is used 70 the types
of the northwest counties Of Ireland feels at homo
in La Marche. The people there have the best
characteristics OF the aboriginal Irish, less the
sense Of humOr and the mother wit. George
Sand found her rustic types in Berri and La
Marche She was charged with having ideahzed
them. Ny experience Of domestic servants who
came from these provinces leads me TO think THAI
she kept ia the limits CT truth in describing them
highly endowed race There is not another race
in which the nervous system is more highly Or
Qanized and at the same time more perfectly
healthy NJ Landrin. who got up this interesting
exhibition, is an enthusiastic admirer Of the Cells
| in general and the Gauls in particular.
| should recommend lovers OF music to study al
the Trocadero the instruments Of old provincial
! France There was more dancing nation than
the French in the olden time. They cast of care
when they jigged and whirled round in reels
Great is the variety of bagpipes, tambourneSi
flutes, psndeau pipes, violins and galoubets Ia
which they danced On many OF those instru-
ments wood-carvers wrought Whether they
worked with case-knves or better devised instru-
mentS does not matter They had clear visions IT
decorative beauty, and what their minds eye saw
their hands were deft to image.
Marshal MacMahon, now in his eighty-hrst year,
! is as fresh a. a boy and has never had yet from
a natural cause days illness in his life" Tbs
words give in inverted commas fell from his hps
| the day before yesterday in the Victoria section
of the Exhibition. All the experience of illness
that he has had arose from wounds. His CONS
plexion retains it's freshness and he has still
nobly erect carriage The only men whom at his
! age have known 10 look well were the first
Lord Cough, "hero Of Chillianwallah,' and the
O'Gorman Mahou. The Marshal in spanking Of
| his health said d" | owe it "a my Irish blood.
! The Irish are the hardest people on the face Of
the earth Marshal MacNlahon had come TO the
! Exhibition on purpose TO look al Irish exhibits
and 70 say speed the plough % the exhibitors,
/ He met bird of his feather, Mr.. J. b Leonard,
a native Of Cork, and for fifty years resident in
Paris and asked him 20 take him around
" Pm no judge said the Marshal when shown
something that deemed rp-top in its way by
the Snowman BIT the Duchess OF Magenta is.
She is coming and / mean 10 charge her 10 PROF.
cure for me souvenirs Of this Exhibition" Tbs
Marshal was asked to step into the Australian
section At first he did not want 10, a ne hid