Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-07-21
IN E
ltaly's Exhibit in the Manufac.
lures Building.

lures Building.
THE THREE PRINCIPAL FEATURES.
Sons Of Sunny Italy Excel in h Art Of
Carving In Wood, Sculpture in Marble
and the Making of Laces-Original In
Design. Bold and Ingenious in Execu-
tion-Poorly Paid Artists.
WORLDS FAIR, July Il. - Especially -
Nowhere in this exposition are the crowds
thicker than in the Italian section of the
Manufactures building. Here the SONS of
sunny Italy have created q veritable won-
derland. Though Italy was the last of the
great foreign nations to decide to make q
showing at this falr, her exhibit is one of
the most interesting to be found within
the grounds. Practically all she has to
display is displayed in this one spot, and
here she has only half enough space for a
proper showing of the surprising number
and variety of articles which she has sent.
There is no other place in the building
where the lack of sufficient room is 50
painfully apparent. The Italians have
been compelled to pile their stuff together
in the best shape they can, and to make
the most Of q belated bargain. Hence we
see here the odd effect Of exhibits and Wis
itors so run and mixed together that the
wonder is people do not destroy half the
wares while on their sightseeing rounds.
1t Is easy to see that the Italians excel
all other peoples in three great arts-those
of carving in wood, sculpture in marble
and making laces. On these three fea-
lures of their display alone they could
confidently rest their claims, though of
course they have many things besides to
show. Some of their wood carvings are
amazing. There is nothing else like them
in the world. What other artists are able
to do in marble or bronze the Italians
alone show in wood. The only people, so
far as I have been able to see, who can
rival them in their carvings are the Japa-
nese, and the handiwork of these wonder
ful Orientals we shall consider in a future
letter. OF hundreds of specimens of this
Italian art l can pause to mention but q
few. Here is beautiful desk, carved on
every square inch Of its surface in appro-
pirate figures, and with four little Cupids
sitting on the top. One is singing from a
music book, another reading from a ledg-
er, a third holding his pen listlessly and
Leaning his head on his hand in WEAKNESS
hom the days work, while the fourth is
gladly making ready to quit the Office.
This splendid piece, duty paid, is only $3.50,
not much more than one would a for a
heavy pressed desk of similar size made in
this country. When one considers the
amount of work put upon those decorative
carvings he will understand the patience
of the workmen who made it, and the
small wages which they must receive for
their toll is evidenced by the price at
which the article is sold. In fact, the
whole Italian exhibit speaks eloquently of
patient, artistic work poorly paid.
Here a most elaborate carved cabinet
from Milan. It is enormous in size, splen-
did in workmanship looked at purely
from the joiner's standpoint, and is be-
sides a marvel of carving from top to bot
tom. How many years. work were put in
upon it one can only guess. The price is
only e1,2OO. A Venetian bed of dark wood
hke mahogany, simply superb, is only $500,
and the wonder is how It could be made
and sold in this country for thrice that
sum. Here are some vases in light-colored
wood, which may be either Italian ash or
maple. One is somewhat like the famous
Dore vase in bronze. in that it has BAG.
ohante for its topic, the swelling vase with
vines and flowers, and cupids struggling
to reach the top, lifting one another up.
frisking toward the summit of their ex.
cited ambition. 1t has not as much detail
as the bronze vase, but is strong and i'm.
pressive in the few figures which it has:
besides, you must remember this was cut
out of solid wood, not fashioned in plastic
clay.
With their art in carving one would
suppose the Italians to be proficient in
furniture. They are. For beauty and
workmanship I think the Italian furniture
excels that of France and Germany, It is
simply indescribable. Take, for example.
the room fitted up as a reproduction of
the bed chamber of the Queen of Italy. Il
is a dream. II all the work to be seen in
1t had been paid at our American wages l
dare say the cost of the apartment would
run above $1,000 600.
Inc Italians are not only patient and
deft, but decidedly original in design.
They are bold and ingenious. For in.
stance, an old wood carver from Venice
shows US a combination of two figures in
one, back to back, which he so places in
front of a mirror that the observer sees
two figures each distinct from the other.
One is Marguerite and the other Mephisto-
pheles. In another example of this sort a
country girl has run way from her par.
ents to visit her lover in the city. While
the pair are parading the streets the par
ents suddenly appear. The girl suggests
to her lover that he stand behind her. and
she partly covers him with the draperv Of
her skirts. In front you see the demure
face Of the girl, behind the alarmed vet
cautious c~ountenance of the secreted lover.
These trick pieces are very effective.
The Italians have caught the electric
spirit. They make some dazzling cleo
troliers of wood, often colored with bronze
or gold or black. Very successful are their
ebony figures, Philippians and Moors with
parted lips and golden headdress. There
Is nothing the Italian carver cannot do
with a piece of wood and q chisel.
The most fascinating part of the Italian
exhibit are the marbles. OF course il You
want to see the finest examples of Italian
sculpture you will have to 90 to the Fine
Arts palace. There the SOUS of Italy show
their most ambitious pieces. But nothing
in their sectiOn nj the fipo or+s :, 49,