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Figaro Exposition  Year 1899    Page: 38
 
 Through the Exhibition By Georges Grison
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The Trocadero seen from under the Eiffel Tower

A VIEW OF THE DOME
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THROUGH THE EXHIBITION
 
The opening- day is past, the opening of the Exhibition, which the timid and the envious declared would be impossible. It took place on the day named, and was more magnificent than could have been anticipated.

The fête of the 5th of May, at Versailles, was a revival of the splendours of the splendid age. In spite of the incident of the pistol shot, fired by Perrin at M. Carnot — which, after all, was absurd rather than alarming — the President’s visit was, so to speak, a triumph; the march past of the soldiers was capital; the display at night magnificent; and in Paris next day it all began again. At the Exhibition the crowd was so great that food ran short everywhere, and that for about an hour and a half there was, in all the Champ de Mars, literally no bread.

The view of Paris illuminated, from the top of the Eiffel tower, was a really dazzling spectacle. In fact, in spite of a great number of cases still left empty, and the inevitable gaps unfilled on the opening day, the general feeling was that so grand a show never was inaugurated by a more splendid ceremonial. But it is useless to enlarge upon the past. We must look to the future, and the future promises more and more attractive displays. Paris will not yield the palm of honour, but will be more than ever the capital of luxury, civilisation, and culture. So the Exhibition is open, and visitors are crowding in. We will proceed to give to foreigners, provincials, and Parisians — who, it is sometimes said, know their Paris least — all the information they can need to enable them to lose as little time as possible.

First, as to means of transport.

There are four — to wit, the railway, hackney carriages, omnibuses, and steamboats.

As there is a station at the Exhibition itself, any one living near either of the Western Railways, the lines of the right or left bank of the Seine, or the outer circle of Paris, has only to take a ticket direct. You are lodging, let us say, at Montrouge. You take a Circle ticket, and are set down at the Champ de Mars. If you start from Versailles you need only change at Ouest-Ceinture, or at Batignolles, according to the line you may have taken. By enquiry you may obtain all needful information as to routes and hours.

Once at the Champ de Mars, as I mentioned in a previous
Figaro Exposition  Year 1899    Page: 39
 
 Through the Exhibition By Georges Grison
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The Luminous Fountains
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article, the Decauville railway will take you up where you alight, and carry you for five sous to any point you wish to visit. As to hackney carriages, I have not much to say about them. There will be plenty of all sorts, good and bad. Thanks to the improvements introduced by Messrs. A. Samuel and Co. (Carrosserie Industrielle), hackney coaches are now much better than they used to be. Try to get one of the neat “milords” which this firm builds for the Urbaine Cab Company.

But failing this, you will do well to put up with what you can get. However slow the beast in the shafts may be, it will be better than waiting. However, new companies are being formed, and by the help of competition we may perhaps achieve for the Exhibition a rather better service of hackney cabs than of old. The steamboats will do good service. Flying up and down the river, they can take up large numbers of passengers at various piers, and deposit them at the Invalides or the Champ de Mars. The accompanying plan, moreover, gives all the necessary in formation as to routes both in Paris and in the Exhibition.

* * *


We will now proceed to give some information as to victualling the forces.

There is no lack of cafes and restaurants in the Exhibition. They are to be found under every flag. Among the French restaurants the most noteworthy are the Duvals; but we may also give honourable mention to the restaurant Ducastaing, close to the sculpture gallery in the Palace of Fine Arts, the Franco-American dining-rooms of Messrs. Rivière and Tinsonnier, facing the Press Exhibition building; the Restaurant Franqais (Tourtel) at the foot of the Eiffel tower; the Grande Brasserie de l'Est (Great Eastern Brewery); the Restaurant Kunn, near the diamond-cutting shop; the English grill-room kept by Spiers and Pond; the Russian restaurant, with a national band of Tziganes and an organ; the Dutch buffet, quaint to behold, a Dutch beer-shop too, where you are served by Friesland women with silver headgear; an Indian refreshment stall, where English colonial “cups” and Indian tea may be tasted; a Hungarian restaurant, an Austrian beer pavilion, an Anglo-American bar.

It is difficult to recommend one or another of these establishments in preference to the rest; however, among the Breach purveyors I think I may safely direct your special attention to the Compagnie Duval.

As I mentioned in a former number, there are three of these dining-rooms; the first on the Quai d’Orsay, facing the station on the Champ de Mars, in the street illustrating human dwelling places; the second at the corner of the Avenue de La Bourdonnais and the Avenue de Lamotte-Piquet, by the side of the great gallery for machinery. The third is on the other side of the Champ de Mars, opposite the New Bastille.

The two first are most luxurious, but nevertheless their prices are extremely moderate.

The third is essentially for the people.

The restaurant on the Quai d’Orsay, the largest of the three, covering about 900 square yards, has special accommodation on the first floor for dining in the open air. The whole space forms a sort of terrace covered in by an awning and commanding an extensive prospect.

There is another terrace in front, and a sort of bar where light refreshments may be procured and consumed.

The whole structure, consisting of a basement containing the kitchens and offices, a ground floor, and the said first floor terrace, includes on the ground floor a large central dining-room or nave, and side rooms opening into the central hall and forming one with it. At the four corners are pavilions, two serving as entrance-halls.

The interior is decorated in a bright and pleasing style, harmonising with the Exhibition buildings.

The outside has been treated by an application of colour to the main lines of the structure, with panels of earthenware to fill in the spaces.

I may add that with a view to averting a recurrence of the famous famine of the opening day, the Duval Company has established a central depôt of supplies for prompt distribution to the three several dining-places. The basement of the Bourdonnais restaurant is occupied by a huge meat-store, where all the meat is cut up and cooked and then sent out; it also contains a large icehouse, so that cold dishes can be served at any hour.
Figaro Exposition  Year 1899    Page: 40
 
 Through the Exhibition By Georges Grison
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The Indian Palace in the Champ de Mars.

The Bolivian Pavilion in the Champ de Mars.
Figaro Exposition  Year 1899    Page: 41
 
 Through the Exhibition By Georges Grison
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The Duval restaurant on the Quai de Billy
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The basement of the twin restaurant is devoted to bread-making, pastry, and baking generally, supplying bread and cakes to all three establishments.

The reader is referred to our large plate representing one of the three buildings.

I may also mention that conveyances with good horses will start frequently from the principal “Duval” restaurants for the Exhibition. The hours of starting will be advertised in their dining-rooms, where tickets may be taken for places at the cost of one franc. Return vehicles will start from the restaurant La Bourdonnais and from that on the Quai d’Orsay.

Among foreign restaurants I will especially mention the Russian dining-room, which is one of the handsomest, and above all one of the most comfortable. It stands to the left of the great central dome, and is under the management of Messrs. Léon and Favre.

From the point of view of the picturesque nothing can be more amusing than a breakfast or a dinner at this very superior establishment, where the waiters are moujicks in the national costume, while a band of Tziganes perform a selection of favourite and popular Russian airs. One might fancy oneself at Moscow.

As, however, it is necessary to cater for all tastes, the bill of fare, though preserving a national character, is cosmopolitan and above all Parisian.

You may, as a matter of curiosity, begin your dinner with Tchi, a soup of meat and cabbage, or Borsch, of which the main feature is beetroot. The flavour is quite peculiar, but not unpleasant to the Parisian palate.

I may add — from a cosmopolitan point of view — that the cashier at the Russian restaurant is a charmingly pretty young woman, which proves triumphantly that, wander round the world as you may, the palm of beauty must at last be given to the Parisienné.

* * *


And now, having mastered so much useful information, we will proceed on our way.

We must direct our special attention to the magnificent statue which crowns the central dome, and which, though put in position somewhat late in the day, is nevertheless one of the most beautiful objects of admiration to be found in the Exhibition. It represents, as you know, “France awarding crowns”, and was made by M. Delaplanche after the design of M. Bouvard. the architect. This is a colossal work. It measures 9 metres (29½, feet) from heel to crown. It was begun in January and finished in the studio on the 14th of April. It was first wrought in clay, 1-m. 10-cm. height (3¼ feet), and then reproduced in its present massive size. Each portion was cast and finished in zinc at the workshop of M. Coutelier, 52, Boulevard Richard Lenoir. When all the pieces were ready they were joined together by means of strong iron rods inside. Its absolute dead-weight is 12,000 kilograms (roughly speaking, eleven tons).

As it stands it forms one of the most beautiful specimens of wrought metal work that French industry can supply.

It is needless to add that the zinc is hidden by bronze and gilding, and that nothing can surpass the splendour of this gigantic production.

M. Coutelier has also cast for the exhibition the frieze of the Gallery of Machinery and one of the doors of. Class 41 (that opening into Class 27), and lastly he has in Class 25 an exhibit of his own.

* * *


I have intentionally avoided mention of the street from Cairo. I would rather see it in a state of absolute, completion before more particularly describing it. It is in fact of extreme interest, really carrying us into the very heart of the old Egyptian city.

It stands on your right as you enter by the bridge of Jena, between the palace of the Liberal Arts and the Gallery of Machinery.

To get to it we must first traverse the building of the Suez Canal Company; and next M. Simard’s rustic chalet, which is the subject of one of our illustrations.

Then we have the Brazilian pavilion, to which is attached a
Figaro Exposition  Year 1899    Page: 42
 
 Through the Exhibition By Georges Grison
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The Russian restaurant at the Palace of Fine Arts
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splendid conservatory for the display of the flora of South America;

The pavilion of Chili constructed by Messrs. Moisant-Laurent, Savey and C°.

The Mexican building, the work of the famous foundries of Cail, which will be removed in its entirety to Mexico after the Exhibition, to serve as a museum of archaeology;

The pavilions of Venezuela, of the Ecuador Republic, and of the Argentine Republic;

The exhibition of Bolivia, an important building supporting a dome 12 metres in diameter (nearly 40 feet). Here is to be seen a collection of specimens of the minerals in which the soil of the country is rich, the model of an argentiferous lead mine, and an aviary filled with the countless birds of gorgeous colours which people the forests of Peru;

The pavilion of Guatemala, where the panels of the facade, which look like earthenware, are in fact made of Lincrusta Walton. The various uses to which this material may be applied are to be seen under class 21. near the Cairo Street;

The Indian pavilion, containing marvels of Eastern art, precious stones, and Indian silks displayed by Liberty of London and Watson of Bombay.

We reach finally the street of Cairo, of which, to begin with, the history is sufficiently amusing to bear telling here. Egypt was very eager to exhibit, but did not wish to be at any expense. A committee was formed consisting of wealthy natives, deputies, and heads of departments — all were full of enthusiasm, but as soon as it came to a question of money and action their lofty zeal vanished as if by magic, and one and all found the best reasons for resigning.

It was then that M. Delort de Gleon, chief representative of the French nation at Cairo, resolved to arrange the exhibition single-handed. He applied to M. Charles de Lesseps, who aided him in finding the money.

His idea was to make a typical Arabian street. Not a street as it would be nowadays, with the alterations which time has effected, new buildings, the sacrilege of civilisation; but a real undegenerate street, such as used to exist, with the genuine stamp of Arab architecture upon it.

For it was a real art, that Arabian art; no other has carried to such perfection the elegance and grace of line; it would seem that its ideal of a happy life was to loiter in some cool spot surrounded by forms of exquisite lightness; it fills one with an indescribably languid delight. It is still unrivalled in that which is called by its name — the arabesque — in subtle geometrical combinations; it is in reality the gift of this race, with its abstract genius to which our worship of nature is unknown. Now this Cairene street is a charming aggregation of mosques and twenty-five houses of the town, selected from the most characteristic specimens, from the far off age of Touloun to the last century. The main idea has scarcely changed at all that time; there is always the ground floor with its low doorway, the projecting storey above, its windows covered with lattice-work, and a terrace with decorations clear cut against the sky. Sometimes the projection of the upper floor rests undisguisedly upon beams embedded in the walls of the ground floor, sometimes the ends of these massive beams are wrought into corbels more or less embellished.

All the decorations laid on the walls, the crocodiles, the sphynxes, the signs, have been imported from Egypt, as well as the ancient earthenware.

One of the houses contains a fine collection of oriental carpets of every style, and the designs, with their marvellous richness and endless variety of colour, remind us of the masterpieces of ancient art. It is highly interesting to compare these with the best productions of the French manufactories of Beauvais and the Gobelins, where the finest specimens are designed on the general principles of these oriental patterns.

For population some real Arabs have been brought over, some donkey-drivers — for donkeys being the only means of
Figaro Exposition  Year 1899    Page: 43
 
 Through the Exhibition By Georges Grison
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The section of Metallurgy
Figaro Exposition  Year 1899    Page: 44
 
 Through the Exhibition By Georges Grison
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The Mercier Cask

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M. Simard’s rustic chalet.
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transport known to Cairo, M. Delert has procured one hundred little white donkeys to carry visitors through his exotic quarter — and even outside it. The charges are moderate; one franc for a ride from the Egyptian section to the Eiffel tower and the Street of Dwellings, the same for the circuit of the large garden, or, if preferred, two francs an hour.

There are, moreover, working jewellers, potters, weavers, turners, inlayers, engravers, carvers, etc., who work in a highly original way. They regard civilisation and the advancement of mechanics with the deepest contempt. Their hands and their feet — more particularly their feet — are their chief implements.

Lastly there are sellers of fancy trifles, silk, and old embroidery, coffee merchants, vendors of nougat, musicians, retailers of sweetmeats, everything, in short, that is to be seen at Cairo itself, up to a Muezzin who from the summit of the Minaret calls you to prayer. We feel on leaving the Cairene street as if we ought to have to take the steamer back to France.

Before returning thither, however, we will visit the temple of Edfou restored by Messrs. Thomas Cook and Son.

It is one of the most curious revivals of the Ptolemaic age.

The Ptolemaic temple of Edfou belongs to the third period of Egyptian architecture, and is one of the best examples of its epoch.

Everything, with the sole exception of some columns and capitals which have been injured by tire, everything is there in a state of perfect preservation. Inside, as well as without, the temple is in the same state and as enduring as when, two thousand years ago, the long processions of the inhabitants of the great city of Apollo wound beneath the splendid porticos between the Stelae on their way to sacrifice to the Egyptian Venus, “Queen of the human race”.

In common with other buildings of the same kind, the temple of Edfou served as a citadel to the kingdom as well as a temple to the priests. The height and enormous thickness of the enclosing walls through which no doorway pierces made an impregnable fortress.

This reproduction. — the private property of Mr. John M. Cook, the present director of Cook and Son’s Universal Agency — has cost, in addition to a considerable sum of money, an incredible amount of artistic labour. Two artists actually proceeded to Edfou, and after taking while there elaborate measurements, copying with the most scrupulous fidelity the columns, capitals, hieroglyphics, etc., have constructed this marvellous reduction on which still more artists were engaged. This work took no less than two years.

It is the most complete reduction of its kind that has ever been displayed to public curiosity, and Mr. J. M. Cook is quite willing to allow the reproduction of this unique specimen of Egyptian art of the Ptolemaic period. For that purpose it is necessary to apply at the office of Cook and Son’s Agency at 9, Rue Scribe, Paris, or to the head office at Ludgate Circus, in London. We give an engraving of some models of boats, four thousand years old, in the possession of Messrs. Cook. Can anything be more remote from this Company’s steamers on the Nile, where they have a special concession from the government allowing them to convey travellers as high as the first cataract, Phike, Luxor, Thebes, Assouan, etc.?

And now if you would like to go round the world in less than eighty minutes, we will enter the dome of Messrs. Villard and Cottard. This dome encloses one of the strangest monuments of our time; a terrestrial globe on a scale of one in a million, having consequently a diameter of 12 m. 70 (thirteen yards roughly) and a circumference of 40 metres (forty-three yards); clockwork causes it to turn upon its axis, and ladders facilitate the inspection of every portion.

It is really a work of science, commended by our chief geographers, and the greatest credit to MM. Villard and Cottard, as well as to M. Seyrig, who, under their direction, has conducted the investigations and construction.

* * *


To return thoroughly to France, I should advise you to go and see the famous colossal cask of the Maison Mercier in the pavilion of Food products.

They had fearful trouble in getting it there. Twelve oxen were required to move it, and even then, on two or three occasions, it stuck in mid plain, checked by the torn-up road. To get it into Paris they removed the octroi barriers.

Now it rests on an immense framework of iron in the vestibule of the palace of Food products, facing the buffet placed at the end of the principal gallery at which all the products displayed may be tasted.

The two ends of the cask, which form the facades of this particular exhibit, are tastefully decorated, and represent two allegoric figures showing, “Champagne offering England a grape”, on that opposite the door of the Palace; the other, facing the buffet, is ornamented with the arms of the principal vine-growers of the Marne carved in relief.

This cask, which is the largest ever made, and which far exceeds in size the celebrated casks of Germany, will prove one of the chief attractions of the Food Exhibition.
Figaro Exposition  Year 1899    Page: 45
 
 Through the Exhibition By Georges Grison
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The Reading-room
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The Maison Mercier is, moreover, universally known, and every me is aware that as Champagne it occupies one of the first, if lot the first, place by the extent of its manufacture.

No one who visits Champagne fails to visit this stupendous establishment, known as the Chateau of Pekin, which is placed it the foot of the richest coteau of the Marne and in the very heart of the best vineyards of the region. The cellars are cut out of the chalk, without any brickwork, and extend under the hillside to a distance of fifteen kilometres (more than nine miles), branching off into a multitude of subterranean galleries, threaded and united by main arteries supplied with railway lines, which enable the trucks of the Eastern Railway Company to penetrate his vast labyrinth to carry off the millions of bottles stored therein.

It ought to give some idea of the immensity of these cellars, when we say that they cover a surface of more than twenty hectares (about 50 acres).

It would take a whole chapter, and a most instructive chapter, to depict the arrangements of this huge establishment. We have just spoken of the cellars; the workshops are no less interesting; we see there an army of workmen, all equally skilful, labouring ceaselessly at the washing of bottles, the drawing of wine, corking it, etc., which amounts to the daily handling of 80,000 bottles. Enormous vats of a capacity of 380,000 bottles, veritable masterpieces of cooperage, are kept constantly full of reserve wine dating from the best years.

* * *


Still intent on returning to France let us visit the Reading-room, close to the Rapp gate.

This establishment of vast dimensions, composed of a ground and a first floor, is situated on the terrace of the Palace of the Fine Arts, near the pavilion of Posts and Telegraphs.

It contains: First, a reading-room in which the best works of current literature and all the novelties of the day, both French and foreign, together with the principal papers and magazines, native and foreign, will be obtainable. Secondly, a writing-room, with a special service in all directions up Jo the latest post hour. We give a view of it.

This establishment is organised by M. A. Ghio, the well-known publisher in the Palais-Royal. It is lighted at night by electricity, and connected with the telephone system. The charge for entrance is fifty centimes, and the subscription 2 francs, 5o centimes per week, or ten francs a month (8 shillings).

* * *


We may, lastly, take a turn round the monumental fountain of MM. Formige and Coutant, a description of which I gave in the first number of this publication, where we may also test the strength and endurance of the concrete of François Coignet and Company, whose productions (steps and balustrades) on the terraces of the Palaces of the Fine Arts and Applied Arts, of Mexico, Annam, Tonkin, Cambodia, the Colonies, Health, State manufactures, suggest a new opening to all architects.

If you are an expert I would also beg you to examine the monumental door executed in pottery and mosaic from the designs and under the direction of M. Deslignieres, an architect who has won his diploma and showed us what he could do at the Exhibition of 1878.

M. Deslignieres entrusted the execution of the two kinds oi work in this doorway to our leading French firms, who have worked miracles of skill. Their names may be read on a memorial tablet at the entrance.

The artistic portion was placed in the hands of M. Mortreux, a potter at Paris, who had it carried out by two sculptors well-known to the frequenters of the Salon, M. Houssin and M. Lorrnier.

The best tribute we can say is to give here an illustrator showing the two statues of “Pottery” and “Mosaic”. Each is in a single piece, painted and fired with enamel glaze in most harmonious colouring; they are the delight of connoisseurs, and are in fact the first examples of a perfectly new class of sculpturesque decorative work. Several sculptors are already intending to design decorative works to be treated in this manner.

The bas-reliefs are castings in potter’s clay applied to a dull stoneware background — a process recently patented b] M. Mortreux. Those for the Statue of “Pottery” represent al the stages of the manufacture, carried on by children in Greel costume: the digging of the clay, manipulation, throwing, casting, tooling, painting, enamelling, and firing. The whole is admirably designed by André Laoust, a sculptor of distinction. The bas-reliefs for the Statue of “Mosaic” in the same way represent the processes of the art: the chemical preparation and manufacture of the material, inlaying, polishing, and placing.

The reliefs, which recall the work of Lucca Della Robbia, are nearly five feet high, but in the vast gallery which they decorate they look like delightful miniatures.

For experts, again, is the series of works carried out by the Society of Bridges and Works, comprising:

1st. One of the four sets of galleries of miscellaneous Industries.

2nd. The domes of the two Palaces of Fine and Liberal Arts, with their porches and vestibules.

3rd. The porches of the Rapp and Desaix galleries.

4th. The special pavilion of the Argentine Republic.

5th. The special exhibition of class 63 on the first floor of the Gallery of Machinery.

The Society of Bridges and Works has, as we all know, taken one of the first places among the great Companies of which French industry boasts.

Lastly, to feel thoroughly in France, we will proceed to admire the pavilion of War on the Esplanade des lnvalides.

* * *


Leaving the Exhibition properly so-called, we can visit for further recreation the patriotic museum of Joan of Arc. Conceived in the first place by M. Ivan de Woestyne, this museum has been excellently carried out by MM. Gédéon Marc and Fournier. who have succeeded above all in avoiding the hideous gasometer shape which all panoramas present. With this object they have surrounded their series of pictures with a mediaeval building representing the tower of Joan of Arc at Rouen, the house at Domremy, etc., etc. In the centre we find eight large panoramic canvases on which M. Pierre Carrier-Belleuse has depicted with incredible power the episodes in the life of the martyred Virgin, from the hearing of the Voices to her murder at the stake. In the surrounding galleries are gathered all the
Figaro Exposition  Year 1899    Page: 46
 
 Through the Exhibition By Georges Grison
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The Central Dome
Figaro Exposition  Year 1899    Page: 47
 
 Through the Exhibition By Georges Grison
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Messrs. Cook And Son’s Steamer

Étienne Boussod, Manager
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relics of the great French heroine which could be procured. — The President of the Republic kindly consented to be represented at the inauguration of this national work.

* * *


In conclusion, to avoid quitting France, one may pass some hours at the New Bastille, the success of which a whole winter has not abated, and where new attractions have been provided by M. E. Perrusson, whose chalets we admired in the course of our first walk.

Close by the New Bastille we can start off once more into the unknown by going to see the panorama of that glorious bay at Rio de Janeiro, concerning which Jean de Lery exclaimed in 1557: “Every time that the image of this new world which God has permitted me to see arises before my eyes, straightway the words of the prophet come to mind: ‘Oh, Lord God, how marvellous are thy various works!’”

This panorama, imagined and started by a Peruvian artist, M. Victor Moirelles, of Lima, has been painted in fourteen months by a Belgian artist, M. H. Langerock. Inaugurated at Brussels in the presence of the Royal family, it was removed to Paris in November, 1888.

* * *


We can finally, more especially if we have children with us, take them to the Fairy Palace, of which the success from the first day has been extraordinary. Never have so many attractions been brought together. The three theatres are never empty. For the Fairy Palace has three distinct theatres. first, the theatre of Perrault, where Puss in Boots and little Red Riding-Hood are presented, and the young artist often years old who takes the leading parts continues to be spoiled by the public, astounded at such precocious talent. While Perrault’s tales are unfolded in the chief theatre, in the Theatre fantasmagorique Professor Antonin performs conjuring and juggling tricks. Most entertaining also are the pantomimes performed by children.

Further on in the Theatre excentrique there are the Sellis children, fascinating on their bicycles; then the monkeys, birds, parrots, and English dogs, the last truly extraordinary. Near at hand the mechanician Voisin shows you his magical tricks, masterpieces of precision. Such is the programme of the day which any one may enjoy for a franc; that is to say for nothing. The extras charged at the Fairy Palace are only asked at the switch-back railway, the cavern of Ali Baba, the castle of Bluebeard, and in the interior of the Elephant.

* * *


Attractions are not lacking, as you see. Even ii you do not wish to spend the evening at the Exhibition you can cross the Seine and finish your day in the Champs-Élysées, the most enchanting promenade in the world, where the summer circus will offer you one of those performances of which M. Franconi, worthy descendant of the founder of equestrian exhibitions in France, possesses the secret. The evenings at the summer circus are immensely popular, and the Fridays in particular draw all the Parisian high life.

In the next article we will take another walk which we will strive to make attractive, and in which we shall pass in review anything new that the Exhibition has to offer us.
Georges Grison