Nature and Art, April 1, 1867.] 
THE PARIS EXHIBITION OF 186V. 
115 
in 'which anything of the kind has been attempted 
is in the grand vestibule, or principal radial passage, 
which leads from the chief door to the inner 
garden, and is bounded on one side by the French 
and on the other by the British section of the 
Exhibition. This vestibule is more than three 
hundred feet long, fifty feet wide, and nearly 
eighty high ] but there is nothing imposing in its 
appearance. Its roof is of iron, and nearly flat, and 
the light is almost entirely inclosed from each end, 
so that the clerestory windows being at a great 
height from the ground, the lower part of the 
vestibule is too sombre ; and when these windows 
are filled, as they are intended to be with specimens 
of French and English stained glass, the vestibule 
will have more the air of an ecclesiastical edifice 
than of a crystal palace. 
Our neighbours are not to be blamed for the 
failure in these particulars, and certainly we have 
good cause for modesty in matters of art ; but it is 
important that failures as well as successes should 
be carefully recorded for future guidance. The con- 
struction of such huge buildings can never be a 
common event, and therefore each lesson is the more 
precious. 
The French, however, have so much ability in 
ornamentation, that where the materials or the forms 
are not unmanageable, they rarely fail to produce a 
gay and pleasing effect. The inclosed court and 
garden of the Exhibition, for instance, offered them 
a fair opportunity, of which they have availed them- 
selves. The surrounding Avail is painted in panels, 
and the upper part relieved by a course of imitation 
rose-coloured marble, which is exchanged for green 
marble over the doors leading into the building • 
the veranda, or marquise, which surrounds the 
garden, is also light and pretty, and apple-green 
curtains are iioav being fixed on rods between 
the pillars, to protect the visitors on the sunny 
side. The garden within is now laid out geome- 
trically, with one main walk down the centre and 
three crossing it at right angles ; the centres of 
the four chief flower-beds are occupied by long 
basins, from which numerous jets of water will 
enliven and refresh this floral retreat from the 
Picture Galleries and Retrospective Museum. 
The French and English Commissions have 
entered upon a spirited competition in the matter 
of fitting and decoration, and the Avork on each 
side is now sufficiently advanced to allow of a few 
critical notes on each. In the first place, the 
walls of the French Picture Galleries are painted 
of a low-toned redj those of the English Gallery, of 
a neutral green off rather olive tint. The former 
have nearly opaque screens half the width of the 
galleries, hung from the tie-rods of the roof ; thus 
throwing the centre of the galleiy into shade, 
Avliile the light falls on the walls through white 
aAvnings extending from the screens to the walls. 
In the English Galleries a Avhite awning stretches 
nearly across, and meets opaque screens at the 
sides. Here we have two systems which contrast 
fvith each other, and the experience of Avliich Avill 
be valuable. The general opinion at present is, that 
whatever may be the relative values of the two 
plans, there is too much light shut out in both 
cases. As regards the industrial portion of the 
Exhibition, the modes adopted by the tAvo com- 
missions are in all respects the antitheses of each 
other. The French department presents, with few 
exceptions, a series of courts, or salons, each with a 
design and plan of its oavii, and in some in stances 
presenting a very artistic appearance ] but they are 
somewhat intricate, and a casual visitor Avill be 
extremely likely to miss many things that he would 
like to see. On the English side, partitions are the 
rare exception, and the view is nearly uninterrupted 
all over the court. Standing in almost any position, 
the Aisitor Avill be able to say at a glance, “Ah ! 
there are the beautiful Indian carpets and splendid 
shawls ; I see the colonial riches cropping up 
there ; there is the cut glass ] there again are the 
noble vases from Staffordshire]” and soon] — the 
Avorld is all before him where to choose, and the 
pathways are clear and straight. Surely that Avhich 
is desirable in life in general is advantageous in an 
exhibition in which no man can see everything, and 
every one has his peculiar inclinations. There Avill 
be no uniformity on the English side, except that a 
very large proportion of the show-cases Avill be 
black relieved with gold, and that all' the counters 
will be covered with maroon-coloured cloth. The 
management of the space above the avenues of 
circulation presents the same contrast. On the 
French side most of the courts are covered with 
neat white awnings, and the same plan is adopted 
for the main avenues throughout] so that the roof of 
the building will scarcely be seen, and the latter 
will be mostly masked. The English Commission 
has no awnings, either over courts or avenues ] 
from the top of the cases and counters all is clear to 
the roof-lights, except where tall objects tower 
above their neighbour’s, or Avhere some splendid 
product of the loom is raised to show its beauties, 
and the tempering of the light has been managed 
in a singularly happy manner. In place of white 
calico, which at first is too glaring, but soon be- 
comes stained and baggy, each glazed compartment 
in the roof has its own blind made to fit, stretched, 
tightly beneath it. These blinds are not Avhite, but 
unbleached, and have a diaper pattern all over them, 
Avith a garter ornament in the centre, in Avhich the 
cyphers of Her Majesty and the emblems of the 
various portions of her dominions alternate with 
each other. The effect is admirable ] and the plan 
adopted in the British section will render it the 
best ventilated portion of the Exhibition, which is 
a very important point. 
The original colour of the iron-work in the 
Industrial Galleries was chocolate, and it still 
remains so, except on the British side, Avliere it is all 
visible, and where it would not have harmonized 
Avitli the colour of the cloth selected ] so the Avhole 
has been repainted of an olive tint, like the walls 
of the Picture Galleries. 
There is much to do between this time and the 
opening day, and some complaints about the slow 
service of the railways on this side of the water 
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