Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-07-04

out and deliver within week or two after
sale. Several times 10 has been Necessary
Tor the customs officials on duty In the ex.
position to arrest foreign exhibitors for
selling articles on which the duty had not
been paid. All the imported goods here
are By law In bond, and the exposition In
that sense Il great boLded warehouse.
The American exhibitors are not - keen
for trade as the foreigners. Not many OF
them make any effort to sell their goods
on the spot, except the manufacturers In
In Machinery hall who carry on their pro
oesses before the eyes Of visitors. This Il
psrdonable. for every one likes 20 purchase
some article which he has seen In the pro
cess Of manufacture. The American ex.
hibitors, m Q rule, seem to be content
with giving their wares the advertisement
which accrues from display before the
millions who visit the fair. II all were as
eager TO sell ~ the majority OF the foreign
srs appear 70 be the dignity Of the exposi.
ton would be much impaired.
A curious illustration OF the foreign de
sire 20 profit commercially by this expo.i.
ton, not only indirectly but directly and
Immediately, II found In the Palace OF
Fine Arts. The French section there II
notably inferior. II IL not representative
Of the best that the artists Of France can
do. And whyf Simply because the artists
OF that country became imbued with the
spirit Of commerce rather than with that
OF artistic rivalry. They sent hithsr the
works which they happened TO have on
hand In their studios, and for sale. Their
hope was to nnd q market In America.
Therefore the French section 10 reprsen.
tative only Of what might be termed the
current and marketable work ofthe artists
Of that country. A little sf this spirit 10
TO be seen In all the foreign sections Of the
Art gallery, England perhaps excepted;
but II II more noticeable In France than
elsewhere ana las made the display OF
Frcnch pictures, while interesting enough,
somewhat disappointing TO critics.
And yet the law Of compensation has ap-
piled here to lift the standard OF excellenos
In the Art palace very high, even In the
hindiwork Of French artists. The United
States Is today the best and most gener-
Gus market In the world for oil paintings.
Our people buy twice a. many pictures a.
any other copntry. and In the aggregate
pay about four times a. much money for
them. Having for years been liberal pa.
irons OF tho arts, Americans have secured
possession OF many OF the most famous
paintings OF the world. There are nearly
$50 pictures here grouped As foreign works
loaned from private galleries In the United
States, and OF the 80 masterpieces fully
three-fourths are by French artists. The
result Is that American purchasers Of
pictures are able TO make, collectively, q
better retrospective exhibit OF French art
than can be made In France. Eminent
srt critics from Paris with whom have
talked admit that In French masterpiece,
we have a better showing than was made
at the Paris exposition four years ago,
though the standard Is lower here In the
general display made by the artists them.
selves. There could not be a more strik.
Ing commentary on the liberility and
munihcence Of Americans ~ purchasers OF
the work Of foreign artists.
II q Interesting 10 note that OF these 10
foreign masterpieces from private CALLER
les in the United States, nearly one-third
are loaned by citizens OF Chicago. This
city OF the Worlds fair Il said to be tho
best market for high-class works Of art In
the world. I am told that Chicago pays
more money for pictures today than New
York, or Paris, or London. The state
ment seems incredible, but II Is made on
the authority Of noted Partisan artist
and broker In art, who apparently knows
whereof he speaks. One VI the results OF
this exposition will surely b. a Quickening
OF the love for art In Chicago and tho
west. And who knows but the great Dore
bronze. which has won my admiration and
the admiration of many other visitors ~
the fair. and viii win yours when you
come to look at It. may remain In Chicago
% q souvenir Of the Worlds fair Of 'asi
WALTER WkLLMAS.