Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1903-03-10
FRENCH FURNITURE.
Attempt to Restore or Replace the
Beauties Of Old Types.

An ehleIpllSluS proprietor ol one
of those enormous universal ba-
Ears in Paris, from which Zola drew
his sBonheur 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 astutc pro-
posal has drawn attention not only to
the importance Of his own establish
mont. but to what he no doubt con-
siders the secondary question OF
whether such designs are possible at
Iall. and what the "Style Troisleme
Rcpublique" may fairly be considered
to be. There is, of course, no shadow
of doubt that the cafes of Montmar-
tire and the studios of the Quarter
Latin have long ago composed their
answers to challenge so seductively
held out. They will create you style
as light-heartedly as theywill destroy
government, and with just as little
conjunction about the ultimate veri-
ties involved.
In reality, says the London Tele-
graph, our enterprising bazaar keep
er of Montmartre is not so original as
may be imagined. For some years a
perfect contagion Of eccentricity has
rioted across the continent, under the |
name of "L'Art Nouyeau." The year
Just closed has seen several exhibi-
tions inspired by the same repudia-
ton Of everything traditional. In Vi
emma. in Berinandin Munich whatarc |
called secession galleries have been |
filled with skillful monstrosites. At |
Turin the same tendency was every
where observable Artists have wan
dered off in debaucheries Of mean
ingless decoration; jewelers. have |
twisted gold and enamel and precious
stones into the newest deformities of |
an extrayagant improperly.
Forvery many years France was the
center Of the artistic light in Europe
Tn many WAYS she must be still. Buta
death blow was dealt TO more than
one monarchy by the events Of 1899
Throughout the eighteenth century |
French art. fostered by the centraliz-
me influence of the grand mon
argue gradually increased in the
varied power Of its expression AT
the death Of Louis XIV. two STYLES.
associated with the names Of his inn
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-
ton Of the individual. Temple. were |
forgotten. for houses had to be built.
Artists turned from monumental
work to lavish divine ingenuity on
the production and decoration Of OBJ
jccts in which the personal motive
was predominant The chateau
called into harmonious service all the
larger arts; furniture became the
apitomc of all the lesser On such
worked the men who
made eighteenth century furniture
rom France. whose names were Jean
Lamour. Cafieri, Boulle, Charles
Crescent. Riesener, Gouthiere. whose
were Vatican. Fragon-
,rd, Boucher. Natoire, Van Loo.
Hoei. Van Sapendonor You may
see a. fine specimens of their work as
exist anywhere in the Jones collec-
ton at the South KensingtOn muse
um or in tile Wallace collection at
house Everywhere reigns
good breeding Not a trick Of fash
ionsble coquetry is lost, OrOf that |
"sweet disorder in the dress, kindling
in cloathes a wantonesse, which is as
far from grossness as it is different
from modesty. The artists had an ex-
quisite tact, happy license, an al
iractive piquancy in those days when
had a greater influence
On life and conduct than it ever had
before or since. Better die than be
ungraceful' was their motto, and in it
is all the charm of gallant, careless,
age that has passed away
forever. 1t bloomed the fairer be-
cause it was on the verge of an abyss.
The guillotine cut off at a stroke the
old traditions of spacious luxury for
which the exquisite furniture of
Louis XIV. and XVI. has been ere
atpd