The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-12-24
APATHY OF THE FRENCH.
Drawbacks to Their Art Exhibits
at the Worlds Far.
1t Is Thought That Paris VIII Make
an Effort to Surpass the Column
bizn Exposition Seven
Years Hence.

It is clear that many owners Of in
dustrial works in France regard the
worlds fair with great apathy, and, if
we are to Judge Of the display to be
made by that republic from a large
number of published interviews with
Frenchmen, it will be meager, says the
New York Times. But in respect to
the fine arts there is no backw ardness
on the part of the Gaul; he is already
clamoring for more wall space on which
to hang pictures
The inordinate size of modern French
paintings springs largely from the mis-
take of the salon authorities in admit
ting thousands, instead of hundreds, OF
canvases to the annual show. Sensa-
tional must be the picture that gains
the public eye in such ruck of paint
| ings; one OF the less difficult forms OF
sensationalism is the acre of paint
which testifes at least to the expendi-
ture Of industry, of muscle and OF
more hard cash for models and material
than is generally suspected. Consider
ing that the passion for big pictures
has had time to invade the American
student of art in Paris, 1t is no wonder
that the originally liberal space allowed
/ France is seen to be all too small.
This demand is noted by writer in
the Figaro, but he adds to 1t another
drawback to the French exhibition
which is calculated to raise a smile.
Learning by cable that a youth has
been arrested at a New Jersey watering
place for having no sleeves to his bath
ing dress, and hearing Of the efforts OF
the Sunday-ciosing zealots IN regard to
the worlds fair, this untraveled man Is
possessed with fear lest Antonin Proust
has made mistake in permitting paint
ings of the nude to be included in the
| French contingent. He has not studied
| the American in France 10 much profit
or he would know that Chicago will
make no objection on this score On
| the other hand, his suggestion that
some one who knows American tastes
in buying pictures should have been
sent in order to give some idea OF the
kind Of picture to show IS not without
shrewd worldly sense
Wonderful as the buildings and ar
engagements a. Chicago's lakeside are
the successor to the worlds fair in
France already looms porteutous-on
paper The date, at least, Is fixed. for
1900, which is actually the last year OF
the present century, not, as seems
natural to think. the first year OF the
next. The place is also hxed-oy
F. Charles Devic II IS an old plan Of his
20 build a Titanic worlds fair at Cour-
bevoie. beyond the Bots de Bologue- a
suburb of Paris. traversed by the circu-
lar railway, the western hne, steam
cars aud omnibus lines, and By the
Metropolitan and tubular lines 20 be
built before 1909. This place received
the vote Of the late ". Alphaud, but the
consultative commission overTuled II
when i came 10 decision regarding the
exposition of 1883. The nearer site
seemed preferable. although the build
inxs have occupied vslu=olr open space
FOR reviews and public n.e@ti2g-ss OBJ
seured the old structures u the nelr,h-
l-arEo13. VI DeTic's pan foC a. expo
sitioa = somewhat vsInagsa Sic
! lie would build OF tie Courbev9ie