The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-02-07
FRENCH FURNITURE.
Attempt to Restore or Replace the
Beauties Of Old Types.

his "Bonheur des Danes, has offered
a prize for such designs in furniture
and house. decoration as shall best
typify and reflect the civilization Of
the third republic. His astute pro-
posal has drawn attention not onlytO
the importance of his own establish
ment. but to what he no doubt con-
siders the secondary question OF
whether such designs are possible at
all. and what the "Style Troisieme
Republique" nay fairly be considered
to be. There is, of course, no shadow
of doubt that the cafes Of Montmar-
ire and the studios of the Quarter
Latin have long ago composed their
answers to a challenge so seductively
held out. They will create you a style
as light heartedly as they will destroy
q government. and withjust as little
conjunction about the ultimate veri-
ties involved.
In reality. says the London Tele-
graph, our enterprising bazar keep
er Of Montmartre is not SO original as
may be imagined. For some yearss
perfect contagion of eccentricity has
/; rioted across the continent, underline
name of "LiArt Nouyeau." The year
: Just closed has seen several exhibit
< tions inspired by the same repudia-
ton of everything traditional. In Vi
emma, in Berlinandm Munichwhatare
called Secession" galleries have been
filed with skillful monstrosities. AT
. Turin the same tendency was every
where observable. Artists have wan
dered off in debaucheries Of mean
J; ingless decoration; jewellers have
twisted gold and enamel and precious
stones into the newest deformities Of
an ~extravagant improperly.
Forvery many years France wasthe
center of the artistic light in Europe.
In many ways she must be still. Buta
death blow was dealt to more than
one monarchy by the events Of 1889.
d Throughout the eighteenth century
French art. fostered by the centraliz-
ing influence of the grand mon
argue" gradually increased in the
varied power of its expression. AT
the death of Louis XIV. two styles,
e. associated with the names of his i'm
mediate successors, were logically and
~ beautifully developed, which have
been the Joy Of collectors ever since.
They inherited the rich harvest of
the sixteenth century Of a renaissance
which took its whole departure from
the central principle Of the rehabilita-
4. ton of the individual. Temples were
forgotten. for houses had to be built.
d; Artists turned from monumental
work to lavish a divine ingenuity on
ge the production and decoration Of OBJ
iects in which the personal motive
is was predominant. The chateau
called into harmonious service all the
larger arts; furniture became the
epitome of all the lesser. On such
foundations worked the men who
~ made eighteenth century furniture
from France, whose names were Jean
av Lamour, Cafieri, Boulle, Charles
Crescent, R~iesener, Gouthiere, whose
L c~ollaborators were Vatican, Eragon-
ard, Boucher, Natoire, Van Loo,
Hoet, Van Sapendonor. You may
see as fine specimens Of their work as
exist anywhere in the Jones collec-
ice ton at the South Kensington muse
UNI or in the Wallace collection at
NJ Hartford house. Everywhere reigns
mo good breeding. Not a trick of fash
ionable coquetry is lost, or Of that
N "sweet disorder in the dress, kindling
in cloathes a w%antonesse," which is as
far from grossness as it is different
ID. from modesty. The artists had an ex
quisite tact, a happy license, an at
ed: tractive piquancy in those days wher
convention had a greater influence
on life and conduct than it ever haC
" before or since. Better die than b.
$ ungraceful' was theirmotto, and in i
is all the charm Of a gallant, careless
a~ristocratic age that has passed ava,
ed; forever. 1t bloomed the fairer be
cause it was on the verge of an abyss
edi The guillotine cut off at a stroke tn
old traditions of spacious luxury 70
which the exquisite furniture O
ed: Louis XIV. and XVI. has been ere
ated.
Red Color in Battle.
The number of soldiers slain i
6o441o danandc q grpat deal IN III