Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-29
sIGNBoARD DISPLAY
EXHIBIT OF COMPETITIVE DE-
SIGNS AT PARIS.
Protest Against the Uniform and Com
monplace Signs Of French
Shopkeepers.

Paris Correspondence Of London Truth.
The 200 competitive signboards on view
at the Hotel de Vile interest and amuse
Paris. This exhibition has been got up by
M. Detaflle, who Is tired, he protests, OF
the uniformity of modern Paris, and I'M
AGNES that II shopkeepers could be induced
to hang out "signs," as in former times
there would be less cause for complaint
Would there? We have already Tart de
raff1che. which is charming when reduced
to the proportions Of the quarto volume,
but frightful when spread out to the size
Of American placards on boardings.
The old-fasfioned signboard arose out OF
the general conditions OF the time in which
1t f1ourished. If one then sent servant
fresh from the country on an errand to NJ
Dupont, the silk mercer, or to Mile. NAL
larmee, the modiste, in such or such
street, the messenger could not find the
shop because unable to read: but II the
mistress said go to the sign OF Ia Belle
Arleeienne,' or to that Of lie Chapeau
Fleuri," there would be no danger OF not
being able to deliver the message.
Few Could Read.
Only persons Of good means knew how to
read and write, though in Paris schools OF
design were 80 numerous that nearly all
the working class people knew how to
draw and to draw we'll. The milliners
assistant could sketch the head Of lady
setting up to fashion with hat or bonnet
placed on it such as the former proposed
to furnish. 1t was of the greatest import
ance to make clever sketches OF this kind
The French are still a visual people. but
must have been so to an extraordinary
degree in the eighteenth century. What
spoke to the eyes carried away gentle and
simple, but especially the latter Sign
boards to accomplish the objects Of those
who hung them out had to catch the eye and
hold it, to be simple, clear, striking and to
could be no mistake about belle mar
chande de poisson, or la peche miraculeuse,
or lie carpe ct le lapin, or la Gle dor, or
rours blanc, or. le renard ct la poule.
swung seldom rose higher than a first floor
and an attic. The ground was low, the
streets were narrow, anu had bends which
greatly added to their picturesQueness, and
poses were often mean-looking, their great
variety gave them a kind Of charm which
the sgnboard enhanced.
Brilliant Sign.
The eye Is now too surfeted with Fart de
Iaffiche Illuminated advertisements, ad-
vertising vanishing pictures, advertisement
vans, and placards, to take in a sign Of old
fashioned proportions and character. The
three best at the Hotel de Vile exhibition
would. If hung out over shop doors, be
scarcely noticed. They are "Au Fin Gour-
met" by Truchet; IA Zane Rouge" by
Willette, and 20 PIT Cien." by Gerome.
"Au Petit Mousquetaire." by Detaille, is
too complex, too subtle, too overladen with
details. The eye has to take in rose bushes,
q stone vase and a stone balustrade on
which the Petit Mousquetaire Is seated in
coquettish attitude. 1t has to take in the
white outspread wings that, sprouting from
a n nd
tree behind them. Nothing hits the eye or
amuses. "Au Fin Gourmet" on the other
hand, strikes, Is easy to remember, and is
very amusing. We see party Of white
geese that have just come up to copper
stewpan. This utensil excttes the curiosity
of some, alarms Others and gives rise to an
anserous conclave. There Is an intuitive
idea among them that it Is their fate to be
stewed in that saucepan, which Is funnily
conveyed. 1.-The Red Donkey" is merely a
donkey's head looking out through a round
aperture and braying. 20 PIT Glen rep
resents a dear little white dog that looks
the image Of misery as Ii fat lie beau, OF
'begs." A pair Of spring eyeglasses are
over the dogs head. This sign Is for an
opticians shop.
Another Of Willette's is Napoleon on a
white horse and a winged Victory, as If
mounted on a pilllon, behind him with an
arm round his waist. The Old Guard fol-
low. His horse walks across a symbolical
map, that of Europe, and a corner Of the
Union Jack, representing possibly Hanover
on which Bonaparte seized. This sign is
truly thing Of beauty. I am inclined to
think that no artist ever depicted a white
| lette on this occasion. His second sign is
for shopkeeper in the Rue Bonaparte. We
have kings heads, queens heads, actors
heads and actresses heads looking like
| has no enthusiasm for such images, not
even when made up Of conservatives.