New-York tribune., 1900-07-09

[FROH A STAFF CONFECTIONERY or THE T7r,--.
Paris. June IS 1900
Yesterday the gray skies and bleak z,,s.
which have made Paris place OF diseo,,s--.
gave way to sunshine and mild summer b-..,.-
The change comes almost at the rnoroen+ -
the Exposition Is at last completed Far s,,,,,-
Montmartre in the Boite a Fursy the IL,
cri' among Partisan Cabarets. NJ Henri r.
and his fellow chansonniers are pokinF IN, .
the great show. They satirize the Prasf4..
and all his Ministers. Mile. Odette Dulac c,,-
ing in her dress the fantastic habulrnenrs V-s,-s
La Parisienne faunts on the apex Of The p,-.-
MonumentaIe deplores the fate which cor,,.,-
her prototype 20 gaze upon "LEXposftiona f-,.
dawn 70 midnight. Nevertheless. 45OOOO -,
itors lately passed the gates in one day. II.
crowd goes on An enormous number of ,,
risians belonging TO the Nationalist party seo-
as much for political as for other reasons Tia
visitor OF artistic predictions may reject por,
icaI prejudice but in the long run he feels a es-
tain sympathy with the critical attitude of Fur7z
and the rest
This Exposition and the one at Chicago ~.
sent so many points OF difference that co.,
parison seems futile; comparison. however. "a
worth while IL only for the reason that u lana,
one in a tangle OF suggestive paradoxes On
architects at Chicago used chiefly classical IDEAS
unfamiliar IN their regular work; yet they uro-
dUced one OF the most beautiful architectural
spectacles which this generation has seen. Tbs
French architects have used here the same no
tives that they handle every day in public and
private buildings. but they leave a very dubious
impression The great mass o1 buildings haz
no centre. The show sprawls in every direction
and dignity goes by the board. Here and the-s
il is possible 10 grasp a picturesque effect Look
EiffeI Tower. with the Italian pavilion. mere o.
less a reproduction Of 81. Marks Cathedral IN
the foreground. forid panorama is visible On
the left. the Street Of Nations contributes 70
mantle outlines which are repeated on the right
by the towers and gables OF Old Paris. In the
distance the Trocadaro dominates the scens.
The river disappears in a graceful curve. and
on both banks. there are gllmpses OF foliage to
make the vision complete Much The same view
can be obtained from two @ three other points
Il Is a view that is captivating, but TOO much
like formIess fragment from an artists sketch
book
The monumental element never appears: thsrs
is no grandeur where the scale OF the schema
seems 10 demand some such quality. TIE broad
surface OF the Seine might have done something
70 improve the picture but the promsnades ara
just far enough below the paraper 10 keep ths
running up against a building. almost never
behoIding it in such a perspective as would sho~
it of to advantage. It may be that great far
should wear a frivolous aspect-though -
proved at Chicago that IL was legitimate for .
fair 10 be stately-but the gayety OF tbs 11s
runs into restlessness and inCOhere1Ce Thls
is due partly 10 the character OF the site but tAs
architects must bear the responsibility 0f haT- =
ing made nine structures out OF ten merely
hideous. II is not difficult 70 understand TIA
sadness Of Mile. DuIac when one gazss upon tia
notorious Porte MolumentaIe- This looks lika
the disordered dream OF a dealer in Titrife1
drain pipes in which his UnlOvely materials gor-
geousIy enameIled and studded with green and
yellow glass. have been fashioned into gigantic
decoration, 10 be placed on a birthday cake.
The design follows the laws Of no known arehi-
tecturaI style. Perhaps the domes OF the Kre1i-
lin were floating in the brain OF the architecti
but If so he has not used them with intelligence.
The portal is. in one word. nightmare OF form
and color, and La Parisienne. poised on the TOP
of the horror. is OF a vulgarity that passes al
definition For the very entrance gate OF the Il
position be thus inartistic is ouinous. The IVA
Fine Arts buildings. which are next encountered
do something TO restore confidence in French
taste They are in the academic and vet graceful
style known throughout France; the classical
lines in them are lghtened by decorative touches.
and one cannot regret that these are permanent
buildings The creamy stone used CLEANS in ths
sun: there is light and shade everywhere; the
general effect is sufficiently serious. and even
imposing It is not an exaggsration, however,
10 say that here the architectural merit OF tas
show begins and ends
The rest is gingerbread. and gingerbread not
only gilded but spIashed with crude color. SIN
lies drawn from the cake shop and confeS-
toners come constantly TO mind IN is sE-
ternal aspect the Fair resembles what mghs
be called an architectural tuttt-trutti. Circun-
stance has even imposed this unfortunats
when individual buildings might pr
haps under better conditions have kept il q
arms length. The Street of Nations. for sN-
ample. contains number OF attractive build
ings- The area given to IL. however, is SO smaA
that not edifce in the lot is seen sr its oesL
The Italian Pavilion looks gaudy. whereas win
a little space around it the Gothic luxuriancs
OF form and gorgeous eolortns would have
seemed less obtrusive. Belgium is Represented
by a copy Of the Hotel de Vile az Audenarce
one OF the most picturesque structures in EU-
rope, but il is huddIed against a NORWEGIAN
building. and the result is discord that makes
one want 10 put on blue sIectacles- The Brit-
ish Pavilion suffers even more from its enforced
intimacy with the buildings OF Hungary ana
Belgium. 1t is a modest design In Tudor style
listless Frenchman who entered the building
with me asked disdainfully II ne were corrs1
in believing himself 10 be dams la Pension
Plum POUdding" The solid simplicity Of ne
building depressed him. AS a matter or tac-
even Frenchman would have been moved %
admiration OF this refined structure - he haa
been permitted TO approach il through the saF-
den. which is obviously necessary as its environ