The sun., 1908-07-26
AT TIE PRANCO.BRITISH SHOW
FRENCH EXHIBITS DISPLAYED
WITH MORE TASTE.
The Fine Arts Display From Across he
Channel Disappointing Really
Fashionable ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Ing Number Of Foreign Nisit0rs.

FhbIhOubUiC h'o'tf~
ing Number Of Foreign visitors.
LONDON. July 1.-THE Franco-Bridsh
Exhibition Is now In full swing. The build
ings are at last satisfactorily completed.
Exhibits are arranged in their various
places and the people flock to the grounds
by the many routes designed to acoommo-
date them.
In the bright sunshine Of the summer
days the vista OF snow white palaces is
almost too garish. Only q strip OF green
grass here and there and occasional borders
of plants relieve the effect Of all this dag
zling whiteness II is during the sunset.
the long twilight and later still. when the
illuminat tions commence. that the exhibi-
ton grounds are exquisitely beautiful and
restful. With the soft pink glow OF the
fading sun In the sky the white buildings
assume rosy tints; as the shadows OF the
twilight deepen upon them they change
to pearly gray and their turrets and towers
begin to sparkle with lights. When dark
ness comes myriads Of electric stars shine
out along the sides. down the fronts ana
over the entrances Of the palaces. Inc
Court of Honor becomes veritable blaze
Of brilliant yellow, and the cascade pours
green, purple. red and blue water into
the pools of the lagoon. which are black by
contrast.
As far as the exhibits themselves are con-
cerned, here as at all other expositions
they receive but small share Of attention.
Yet they are interesting, II only because
they show In their very arrangement the
absolute dissimilarity Of French and Eng
lish tastes and ideas. Take for instance
the exhibits from the two countries OF
gowns, hats and furs which are to be found
in the spacious quarters OF the building OF
Applied Arts In the French exhibit the
figures wedring the garments are posed
with such skill that it is a joy to look at
them their attitudes are natural and there
Is always a slight attempt at scenic decora-
ton to heighten the effect; while In the
British exhibit Of the same sort the old
fashioned dolllike models of the shop
window variety stand stiffly in gowns Of
English make which try in vain to rival
French ones. All through the department
of Applied Arts one finds the same thing.
Whatever the French have arran gsd has
been done with exquisite taste and skill.
It Is in the Fine Arts building that France
has failed to come up to her standard.
Either she was afra to trust'her treasured
pictures and statuary to the vicissitudes OF
the trip and the exhibition or else she seri-
ously thou ght that what size did send was
enough to give her new allies an adequate
idea of French art. Rumor had II that all
the provincial cities Of France we're gladly
parting temporarily with their art goms to
loan them to the exhibition and that the
walls OF the Louvre and the Luxembourg
would con tain many empty spaces where
there had been pictures sent to England.
Perhaps they really intended to do all this,
but they did not live up to 1t and any one
who judged French painting and sculnture
by the exhibit In the Fine Arts building
would be much deceived.
There are three Claude Monets, not the
finest examples Of his work a very poor
Carriere, three Meissoniers and Bougue-
reau. These are the best OF the collection.
the rest are inferior indeed. Not a Degas.
a Manet. Fantin Latour, to be seen. In
sculpture not even one example Of Robins
work.
The British side Of the Fine Arts building
Ia much superior. Many OF the best ex-
amples Of English art have been moved here
from the Tate and Wallace galleries as we'll
as from many provincial muesums.
a very lnU6TeStiHy DTltisu cAHlDlt Is III
the Science department. Here are shown
photographs and models Of different forms
Of the Sleeping Sickness and other tropical
diseases.
The Palace OF Women's Work is another
disappointment. One Of the smallest Of the
buildings, it contains little Of interest and
that not well displayed, Pamphlets Of all
sorts abound in every booth and one can
read Of the work women are doing. though
one sees small evidence Of it there.
Australia and Canada have surpassed
themselves in the variety and excellence
OF their displays. Canada hns improved the
opportunity to advertise her facilities and to
invite the surplus population Of Europe and
the United States to come In and enjoy the
land. The Dominion Government has
placed around the building large number
OF notice boards" which cannot fail to
catch the eye. Each board conveys In few
words certain facts about the country. its
industries. DC. and visitor leaves the Sec
ton assured that Canada is wanting him and
that more than 100 acres Of fine rich land are
waiting for him II he will only 90 an settle
upon it; also that the Canadian Govern
ment will assist him with expert advice, and
further will present him with the fruit trees
most suitable for his soil and climate. The
boards also point to the fact that a large in
fiux OF Americans have arrived in Canada
and that il the Englis iman is coming he
had better start at once.
The principal industries Of Canada are
admirably illustrated The wheat growing.
numbering. wood pulp, dairyipg and Or
charding are represented by exhibits Of
the most elaborate and interesting char
acter.
The fantastic but really wonderful dis
play Of butter is always surrounded by
large throng, for here big refrigerating
chamber contains life sized figures modelled
in delicious looking butter Of King Edward
meeting President Fallieres. the likeness In
each case being very accurate.
Australia displays an imposing array
Of wheat. oats. barley. peas. beans, honey,
cheese. mineral products, an exhi ition
Of meat frozen and prepared for shipping.
how fruit lie grown and what Australia can
do as a producer of wine and beer.
"The largest collection Of southern
Nigerian products ever brought together
under one roof is to be seen in the West