Year: 1878




china lace tapestries Oriental objects and pictures OF
year. repeated the experiment this year. With
q determination outdo their first achievement aud
those present the opening OF last nght were
easily convinced that they have completely succeeded
The Exhibition OF last year filed only the corrldOt
and the three the north, east and west Win
the addition OF the small cabinet IN the northwest cor
Der At the very end OF the the large south
room was opened for what proved to be very
notable display Of etehings and engrayngs; but
hardly did the public begin to be aware OF its presence
when the season came close, and lost an oppor
ptunty which, every lover Of such things, was worth
journey Of many miles to have enjoyed.


This year the whole exhibition floor OF the Academy Is
filed with the contributions of the friends OF
the society and all concerned in the enterprise
have reason to be proud OF what has been
accomplished. The large south room Is hlled
with PICTURES the west "a given up to old relics
jewery, and brcabrao Of all sorts; IN the small cabinet
displayed specimens OF embroidery, painting on
china and other work done for society by its cens
the North Room is filed with oriental stutS porcelain,
and wines and the East Room contains
prising exhibit Of European and English porcelain and
earthenware The Corridor is not devoted to any special
subject but makes itself rich and effective with Oriental
and porcelain and with porcelain and earthen
ware from various English and European manufactures


When it Is remembered that OF the objects col.
lected In made part ofast years show and
that owing to the late hour which it determined
risk another exhibition, aud also to the fact that
great many whO had they been at home. would
have been glad contribute the display, absent


Europe-the brnnga all these things together has been


hurried processt must be acknowledged that the col
lection reveals unexpected wealth in our community
In objects Of art workmanship. Such exhibition as
this shows great Of interest In the art OF deco
ration within a comparatively short period OF time Ten
years ago. eyen 1t would not have been possible TO find
in this city many beautiful and curious specimens of
has been accomplished in the arts that minister TO
the pleasure of the eyes.


The ladies Of the Society OF Decorative Art have
shown no little energy and patience in carrying out
their enterprise. And both these qualities were needed
each stage OF the afairn the getting the objects


together and in arranging them after they were secured
No doubt. II they questioned, they would have
many stories tell OF the fobes OF and Of their
ignorance though these would really be far outnum-
bered by the instances friendly offers of assistance,
unseish Willingness to part with precious treas
ures. and TO strip walls aud cabinets for the
good OF cause. Bat their experience has not been
lightly gained whole days have been occupied with
tre.Omc driving gadding about, often at first with
small result aud, indeed In the beginning there was
nothing but to push out into unknown sea, tax
ing the first house in street. and going from house to
house. foragng In ignorance Of where game TO be
found often returning from the chase with empty
gamo-bags and theu again often rewarded by break
Ing glorious and returning with a nch spoil
n some people had to be cOaXed and persuaded
10 lend at ALL not believing that what they had
worth oering Others had TO be greatly repressed in
desire to lend things that were not available And
much gentle wOmanly tact-the wisdom Of the serpent
with the amlablily Of the dOye-wls needed to touch
Alright all these various strings Then, when all
emptled out OF the full net, came IN tho other
great attribute OF womanknd, the untiring pa
tieuce that could bring order out Of all
this chaos. To which must be added the
he M ALL
arranging accuracy in the business part Of
the aair-an important tem for here is great wealth
piled up, ana vast responsibility and last years man
agement go perfect that not single piece loaned
was lost or injured and the confidence Of collectors
gained well as earned.


OF course, the ladies' in their generosity, insist on
sharing honors with the gentlemen wno have given
their time and knowledge freely and II would indeed
be unjust TO withhold any portion Of the credit that is
due Mr.. Russell Sturgis and Mr.. Samuel Colnan who
the benefit OF their taste and experience,
IN which they equaled by few IN the arrangement
Of the Oriental Room, while Mr.. Hutchins, the
Curator of Metropolitan Museum has been the right
hand man OF the ladies who done such splendid
wuTlpin the West Room and TO Mr. Frederick Yoss Is
Justly due credit OF reducing the minute unrelated
and confusing objects Of the West Room to harmonious
unity Nor must Mr. william @. Prime be forgotten,
who has been everywhere with his advice and his sur
prslug wisdom, and mas left traces OF himself ana ms
taste IN all directions.


Last year we bad to complain Of the arrangement OF
the objects the Exhibition that 1t made solely
with view 20 pictorial effect and not. it seemed
IL IL should have been, with eye to the instruction
and education OF the public This year have far less
reason complaint tins score and II It had not been
for interference unlocked for quarters there would
have been only complaint at oil to make but high
praise 10 be awarded for successful attempt TO clas
siy the objects, aud arrange them scientifically so TO
speak, as far least that is possible Necessarily
perhaps the committees have been far large there
have been many captains, and gee aud whoa have
been too often simultaneously shouted from both
front and rear. The discovery has been made
that in afairs OF this sort the One-man power,
by which in this case mean the one-woman power,
s the only salvation and while the assist
auts In department may be there should DO only
one responsible head. It is open secret that IN one
department where had things been left TO natural
lection the result would have been beautiful and
orderly arrangement the fruit OF real knowledge and
taste there have been such mterferences, wholly i'm
pertinent and unwarranted by any authority, as TO
seriously mar the completeness OF the whole This
ought not have been possible but IN the kingdom or
the blind the eyed is OF course king. and often
makes himself opprt ssycly felt Tho only remedy Is
TO open the the community In matters or taste as
fast rs possible and cectuay that great Panian-
drums may be put to silence, and no monopohes al
lowed.


Before entering upon review OF tho Exhibition in
detail we may give intending visitors the advice to take
things as much order possible In our opinion the
Oriental Room ought DO left far possible TO the
last because there the ultimate perfection OF
decorative art applied 10 every species OF object OF
which this Exhibition Is made up and while II Is true
that no really beautiful decoration can be hurt by any
other that Is beautiful even I; 1t be thousand times
moro rich delicate yet many things which are inter-
esting from the part they play In the progress or IN
the decline OF an art and which deserve to
be studied for their nterestingness, not beautiful
and these must seem still less beautiful II they com


ared with works Of Oriental perfection Therefore take
the east side OF the Corridor and the East Room rs and
cav North Room and the west side OF the corridor
70 the last OF every days VISIT The East Room with the