New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-12
THE FRENCH EXPOSITION.
n GENERAL SURVEY OF ITS NUMEROUS
DEPARTMENTS.
DIVISION YET MpLErE-oARELBssNEss IN

10 DIVISION YET coMPLErE-oARELEssNE IN
ARRANGING THE AMERICAN sEcr1ox-THE
ART EXHIBITION VIEW FROM THE.
,rRooAD1Ro PRE- E-EMINENTLY AN
EXPOSITION OF THE ARTS, IN
pUsTRIES AND GREAT.
NESS OF FRANCE.
IBY CABLE TO THE rRrnuxE1
ccprig&; 1888: By Tie Ee,c York Tribune
Paris, May li,-The days that have elapsed
,incs the opening Of the Exhibition have made
no greatSvfsable- change in its condition. 1t is
sill gigantic workshop, and no single sec
tion, class or group in department. is complete.
What which comes nearest to being complete is
the Fine Art section, unless England be entitled
70 the5PErse plsce. America certainly is not l
gave yeu the other day a view Of the American
exhibits which might be called semi-oficial I
had not seen the Exhibition, and took such sum-
mary information was nearest at hand Com
pairing IL with the actual facts, it now strikes
me rs rather rose-colored. The United States
have, or will have, many very important exhibits.
Hall dozen men, with Mr.. Edison at their
head will do much for American reputation,
electrical and other. American machinery occu-
pies it's full proportion of foreign space, about
land, rather less than Belgium.
But when we come to the general American Sec
ton it is doubtful whether we shall make much
impression on the general public. We shall be
ranked among those Nations who have shown
themselves careless OF appearances. Enter the
English or any one Of the numerous French sec
lions, aud you find them carefully constructed on
q uniform plan, each with its own architectural
design uniformly carried out, many OF them ele-
CANT and costly. But each American exhibitor
seems to have been at liberty to do as ne liked
with the space sllotted him. No general scheme
Of design or decoration has been insisted on. and
no control has been exercised over indvidual
taste. or want of taste The result is a sad tumble
Of shops, booths and bazars, often unpleaSing In
themselves and incongruous when taken together.
Tie avenue which runs lengthwisc through the
entire American section offered every opportunity
fer artistic treatment, but the opportunity LAS
been worse than neglected.
The effect Of the good work is impaired by the
bad next TO IL. The silversmiths in the middle,
small group by themselves, are attractive. 80
are some other scattered exhibits. There is really
great deal that is excellent; there are some
things which would look better at home than
here there are others which, though they add
netting to the beauty Of the section, have solid
merits OF their own. I have heard competent
Judges express strong hopes that America will
win her fair share of prizes, but the stranger VINO
walks past these singular collections OF chemicals
and corsets Of rubber shoes and bCraX soap, o.
dentists chairs and spring mattresses, of carriages
somewhat odd in pattern, " wax figures and wash
ing tubs, must ask himself whether this heter'
ogeneous display really represents the best Amer
iea could do 10 win be patriotic to tell him
that 10 does not.
The spaee which we I'LL is not Insignificant;
whxE We I'll it with too often is.
We cover as much ground as Switzerland and Italy
together, who our nnighbors to the right
Russia. with haIf our room, looks twice us i'm
portant. Little Belgium has sent more than
America, aud knows a great deal better what TO do
with il. Comparison with France would be absurd
France alone occupies perhaps four-hfths OF the
whole Champ de Mars. II is preeminently and over
whelmingly French exhibition. French oronzes
alone have more room than all America; french
furniture, carpets and tapestries three times as
much. Imperfect as every French group still Is.
ANYBODY can see that. as a whole, the French dis
nlsv viii be magnificent. France is q competitor
In All the industries and is certainly foremost in
many-most OF all in those where excellence de.
nends on design on taste or education, on art Her
picture galleries are crowded with masterpieces,
and she has not excluded the work OF artiBts not
living.
The American Art Gallery is not yet open TO
the public and Ii not likely 10 be for some days.
Mr. Hawkins and the rest Of the committee have
done their best, but French officials had to be
dealt with and French workmen to be dcpenoed
nm and the question Of time was not within
the committees control Most Of the American
uictures are. however, hung. hope it is not rash
to nreict that American art will stand far better
than IL did eleven years ago. Beides the American
naiptars well Known abroad, like Messrs Sargent,
Daauatt. Story and Brdgmsn, some Americans
who have studied and painted at home VIII be
heard of for the first time, and some OF them WILL
believe, do themselves and their country credlt
Mr. Porter has one Of his most finished por1raltS'
and Mr.. Thayer's work delights artists who nave
seen II. Mr. Wyant has O charming landscape
which NJ. Rousseau might have signed IN MS
younger days and there are many other WORKS
which shew serious thought and tefhmcal Knowi
edge. Nearly 400 American pictures altogether
viii figure in these four upstairs galleries which
France has been good enough TO assign TO US.
why America was not thought worthy Of space
below. I cannot say. England, Spain, Italy and
Austria are oil on level with France Peshaps
~ IN s compliment that we are placed above, with
flsnyark. Belgium and the Netherlands. Two OF
the favored Nations below, Spain and Italy. have
nok covered their walls. We have more than COW
ered ours, and the pictures are oyercrowded' Inc
Erglish collection is not large bnt is most care
fully chosen. Mr.. Whistler, it appears abandoned
dAr,ersca because the American committee could
MA snd room for his entire series Of some thirty
,ran.d etchinga besides his paintings. They ac-
nsnted s~yenteen. and he migrated in discontcnt 10
En.,and. The English hangers accepted seven.
Hncb al there is in the details which invites
.-,,ie,sm. IL would be difficult to over-praise the
xsxhib,tion AS O whole Want OF style IN the build
,nsx want Of simple good taste in decoration. and
many other wants there are; but no
hody can walk from the Irocadero TO