New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-04

Alexander Hepp-have already begun TO cast
the balance Of the philosophical debit and credit
sheets Of the Exposition.
u. Alexander Hepp. a clever leader writer Of
the "Gauois," but who invariably views every
thing connected with the Republic through the
eyes Of e Sch5penhauer Of the boulevards pre-
diets that the destruction Of the Exposition will
be worse than its construction. and that the
| liberation Of its microbes will be appalling NJ
Hepp asks what terrible epidemic Will the Ex-
position leave behind Il He says the last Ex-
position beqTeathed the plague Of the Tsigane
musicians and fears that the present EXPOSE
ton will leave something far worse. NJ. Hepp
includes among the microbes the modern
style of household furniture
NJ Henri des Houx makes a strong appeal in
favor Of retaining the Gallery des Machines
which he considers has great advantages over
the Grand Palais for the annual salons of paint
ing and statuary, and hopes that the Exposition
wifi cause Partisan cabinet makers to strive
after grace and simplicity of design and execu-
ton.
II. Roger-AIles regrets the dispersal of the
private collections OF retrospective art lent by
the Rothschilds and other amateurs. and won
ders without daring to perdict, what the effect
viii be OF Partisan taste, and especially upon
applied art and home decoration.
NJ Hanotaux speaks Of the Exposition as a
fury has spoken It's last word and where the
twentieth century utters It's first rnurmur, and
asks; Where are we far as taste is con-
cerned? Is ii renaissance or decadence?" NJ.
Harotaux thinks Il is certainly rot decadence
because the great masses of the people have
shown q marked dislike for the perpetual seek
ing after something new and startling that
fortunately characteriZes the decorative art AT
the Exposition. The great result OF the EXPO
sition is the emphatic popular disapprovaI Of
-4-1-
architecture. furniture and in all the branches
of applied art which constantly surround one
ers that the artists not solely responsible
for this. because they have been constantly told
70 produce sonnet hing new, 10 discover the
style Of our period
You have no initiative or originality. YOU
are forever copying the old models and you
nave gone asleep over the 'dGjAvu' such are
the remarks that have been dinned into artists
ears until in sheer despair thay plunged into
the chaos as NJ Hanotaux puts it. of the
pretentIous tncoherence Of the undulating Loie
Fuller style, which forms the leading Inepira-
uon OF the art OF our time" NJ. HauotaUx con
slders that the Exposition has given the death
.Io" 70 these attempts to create q new style
Tor each Presidential election The verdict Of
the people IS correct. The failures If the ex-
otlsln or the BatignOles. Of the Rue de Paris
OF Iopsy TurvT House, OF the Globe Celeste and
or all the aggressive efforts to ir7nuse r7u.r1 the
public and pervert the national taste form ay-
lasting IN decorative art has ever sprung sud
DENY INTO existence The furniture makers and
- % Inc seventeenth century,
who continually reproduced in varying forms
the same bouquet Of roses or the same garland
OF flowers on the tables or arm chairs with door
SNAPPED legs, created the style Louis Ky IN
consciously just rs NJ. Jourdain spoke prose
without knowing it All these things Of SUI
preme modernity VIII perish with the plaster
ana stucco Of the Exposition. Such are the
views OF II. HanotauX, who concludes his ohit-
uary OF the modern style" with the words
oh, PaTisians salute the furniture Of Maple
for you never VIII fl again.
Inquiries made among the leading cabinet
makers in Paris show that the historian Of
RicheHeu and eX-Minister OF Foreign Affairs ia
in accurate touch with the national pulse for
the orders for the coming winter indicate u
marked falling of in the demand for the mod
ern style The German rococo. in heavy round
lines overcharGed with characterization of which
there has been such pTofuson IN the Exposi-
ton. meets with no success here. The Partisan
taste In furniture and applied art for the house
hold is for simplicity and grace This was not
the case last year. and II may mark the be
ginning OF the coming style c. l. b