New-York tribune., 1906-07-16
A SILK SHOW IN PAP>'
Historical and Modern Di.rr.
Designs of Many Sor,,

t'le pretty Htue Saillera Museum n p,..''
Of admiration. so rich are the tav,,-.- - = q
vellously blended are the coIors. 81 g-,- = e
so harmonious are the designs. Aar,,--.,-
ever. gives way 20 disappointmo.. - "a I
closer inspection Il is found tb.s - -
beautiful pieces OF work are sur,,v,,- ~ Il
eighteenth or early nineteenth eo,,r-
or else modern reproductions OF the - y,
in one OF the first cases which cafcb ~
the visitor TO the show is a rich -
family toned background HAVING -
sOberly cOlOred. lightly designed aov,-. -
character. bold and delicate at the s,,-. j
A label informs one that this curtain 4.
ductiOn OF a waistcOat at the time OF 49,, = 1
and one realizes at once how cleverlv ~ -. 4
IS suited 70 the purpose for which u -
tended. Interesting as a curtain Il va,
terpiece as a waistcoat. harmonizine ad--,.-,-
too. with the spirit OF the architecrnr. i, y !
period. with fits severity OF line and del,....
detail
Close by IS a strip OF silk covered with
and light yet regular design. A lattieawos'
foliage. set of with punches Of roses az r,-s
intervals. tied with bright streamers. ana .
whole bOrdered with tiny clustering aov.,,
a reproduction OF the silk hangings in N. \,
room Of Queen Marie Antoinette az Fon,.,.-
bleau. Apart from the beauty OF the deslgn,-.
coIoring Of this piece its interest lies n. The
the effect is produced. The design Is ers-,,,
cred on the material in the finest crochst ~.
stitch. chenille being the means employed N =
tain the soft, rich effect OF velvet embo.,.
Another designer Of the same century. PhH.
de IA Sale. has a style all his own. On Il
thick silk hangings he weaves a bold. free i, !
sign Of flowers tied with ribbons. and br,s
occasionally with waving feathers. Hs D,
flowers OF decided character. contrasting ts
cleveIly; a bunch Of wild pansies strays our
meet cluster Of old fashioned red roses. abr,
whose heavy heads there droops a spray Of IL,
Another piece. suggesting a ladys boudoir Z
the period, is a screen from the same palace
Fontainebleau with raised embroidered ehs.s
foliage and richly cOlored flowers among Win
bright plumaged birds are perching and fya
Above their heads hangs the open cags Il
wicker, the whole on a beautiful tan color
ground. with family hued convolvulus. or mon
ing-glories. and wild roses in the same &, i
crochet chainwOrk.
The nineteenth century IS still more quaint
presented in silks. These reflect not 50 mus
the architecture as the history OF the day. Ezf
lent Of the great NapOIeon's triumphant can
paigns. The Egyptian expedition fnds an esl
IN sphinNes. ibises. Ilummies all woven IN sla
and intended 20 adorn the breasts Of the gaia
youth Of the day Even a few pyramids are d
be seen on cne such waistcoat. with a cOniz
effect For the First Consul himself the Lynn
weavers on the occasion Of the great mans vSa
to their busy centre wove fOr him before h
eyes a rich black silk waisteOat. bearing the L.
vice in written characters, He gave US peacs'-
a motto hardly borne out by the after career
the hero.
Napoleon's settlement Of the Church Qussicl
by the famous concordat with Pope Plus VI
commeuorated in a pair Of portraits made s
tirely in silk Of the Emperor and the Pope Boa
are extraordinary as Iikenesses. and are as a1
as the engraver's art itself could MAKE thsz
Held against the light. they take on HfsliEs Gi
Orings.
The victories OF the Grands Armes. rsIas
sented In silk. eliminate IN a curious pses
work which commentaries the visit OF the ana
sovereigns as victors 70 Paris. The arms
Russia, Austria and Prussia are woven into ii
material with the motto. probably meant hon
caIly. United for Our Welfare" Later. aflE
the revolution OF 1880 and the accession 81
Louis Philippe. rich piece OF silk was VoV'l
by order Of the King to cover the coffin Vael
contained the body OF the great Emperor Vha-
IT was transferred to its present resting place
the Invalides. The dark purple silk is coveE'a
with golden bees. which are made OF spun gas
the first application OF glass to silk weaving
Turning from this section Of Retrospective az
to modern work OF original design, disappoh'
ment awaits the visitor. II IS evident ul'
when princes and nne gentlemen were willing
to pay any price up to S240 a yard for taai
silken robes or waistcoats the mauusactuF@'
had far more scope than they can have to-oa''
when the public declines TO go beyond as NAN
pence. But this explains only the difference
the quality Of the silk. which. Notwithstanding %
improvements in machinery and dyeing. al taaa'
ing to reduce the cost OF production. Is uaEhsl
1t does not explain the mediocrity Of modes
designs. 1t is true designers OF to-day have 10
the help OF a we'll defined and charactsEis-
style Of architecture such as frequently insDHsi
the designers OF the eighteenth century -
fact remains that every piece exhibited here
modern and original design compares unfasoi-
bly, with those of a century ago. There IS l.-
of sentiment and Of poetry about these h0a-
workers which rObs their models Of all pow.
to please. They seem ttmid. conventions -
cold. The stand devoted TO ribbons from =
St Etienne workshops IS hOpelessly uhll'
esting and uninspired; the eye seeks N ~
some well thought out scheme Of decoration =
cOlOring. On the other hand. stand o. p
transparent materials. such as crepe de So
embroidered in gold or silver charms WIZ :.
delicate softness OF web. And speaking Of 3
and silver threads brings back 10 miAa
specimen Of cloth Of gold woven at Lyons
Queen Alexandra's coronation mantle Ihs
sign of oak leaves is worked out in rich' 49,
metal, with changing reddish and greeniSh As-
very queenly and magnificent in effect
One word must be said about a ails
branch OF work in-or rather On-sllk =
pieces Of "chalcography'' lent by the Lo, ~,
show TO what perfection the art OF ensIa's-- - "a
silk can be brought. There is plctuI,s. -, ~ <
primitive painter. Van Eyck. Of the Is - q
Autun." with its architectural detail ana - -,
feet of a distant landscape seen thrGusl,, o-sa5
Norman arcade behind the Virgin ana -
which is a marvel of delicate and WIN, - g
A portrait Of Nine de StlVigne. tn TWO S0--. n