the city of domes-第7章

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Furniture　and　Tapestries；　known　as　the　Garde　Meuble；　was　to　be　made　for　the　pavilion。

In　the　interview　with　the　Minister　of　Commerce　Baker　argued　that；　without　France；　an　Exposition　could　not　be　international；　and　that　the　participation　of　France　at　this　time；　with　her　flag　flying　in　San　Francisco；　would　be　like　winning　a　battle　before　the　world。　It　would　show　the　people　of　the　United　States　France's　gratitude　for　the　money　sent　the　wounded　and　the　suffering；　and　would　warm　the　hearts　of　the　American　people。

Thomson　responded　with　enthusiasm；　and　soon　the　government　became　enthusiastic。　Several　thousand　dollars　were　spent　in　cabling；　Henri　Guillaume；　the　distinguished　French　architect；　experienced　in　many　expositions；　was　sent　out。　When　the　Jason　stopped　at　Marseilles　it　took；　on　board　one　of　the　most　remarkable　collections　of　art　treasures　ever　shipped　to　a　foreign　country；　the　finest　things　in　one　of　the　world's　great　storehouses　of　treasure；　including　even　the　priceless　historical　tapestries；　and　a　large　collection　of　French　paintings　for　the　Fine　Arts　Palace；　gathered　by　the　French　committee　after　great　labor；　due　to　the　absence　of　many　of　the　painters　in　the　war。

When　Captain　Baker　left　France　he　had　accomplished　far　more　for　the　Exposition　than　he　realized　himself。　Reports　of　his　success　in　securing　French　participation　preceded　him　to　Italy　and　helped　to　prepare　the　way。　The　Italians　listened　to　his　proposition；　all　the　more　willingly　because　France　had　been　won　over。　Besides；　he　had　a　warm　supporter　in　Ernesto　Nathan；　ex…Mayor　of　Rome；　who　had　paid　an　extended　visit　to　San　Francisco　and　had　become　an　enthusiastic　champion　of　the　Exposition。　In　a　few　days　he　had　made　arrangements　that　led　to　the　collection　of　the　splendid　display　of　Italian　art；　shipped　on　the　Vega；　together　with　many　commercial　exhibits。　Captain　Bakers　work　in　France　and　in　Italy；　accomplished　within　three　weeks；　was　a　triumph　of　diplomacy。



Foreign　Participation　in　General



Germany　was　not　to　be　completely　over…shadowed　by　France　notwithstanding　previous　indifference　on　the　part　of　the　government。　German　manufacturers　wished　to　be　represented；　and　they　actually　received　governmental　encouragement。　Austrians；　not　to　be　outdone　by　Italy；　unofficially　came　in。　In　fact；　despite　the　war；　every　country　had　some　representation；　England　and　Scandinavia　and　Switzerland　included；　even　if　they　did　not　have　official　authority。

There　are　those　who　maintain　that；　in　spite　of　criticism；　the　Fine　Arts　Department　is　now　making　a　better　showing　than　it　could　have　made　if　there　had　been　no　war。　American　collectors；　with　rare　canvases；　were　persuaded　to　help　in　the　meeting　of　the　emergency　by　lending　work　that；　otherwise；　they　would　have　kept　at　home。　It　was　thought　that　many　of　the　Europeans　would　be　glad　to　send　their　collections　to　this　country　for　safe　keeping　during　war　time。　But　such　proved　not　to　be　the　case。　A　good　deal　of　concern　was　felt　about　sending　the　treasures　on　so　long　a　journey；　subject　to　the　hazards　of　attack　by　sea。　Furthermore；　from　the　European　point　of　view；　San　Francisco　seemed　far　away。



Looking　for　Art　Treasures



A　short　time　after　Captain　Baker　sailed　from　New　York　another　emissary　went　abroad　for　the　Exposition；　J。　N。　Laurvik；　the　art　critic。　A　few　weeks　before　Mr。　Laurvik　had　returned　from　Europe；　where　he　had　represented　the　Fine　Arts　Department；　looking　for　the　work　of　the　artists　in　those　countries　that　were　not　to　participate　officially。　At　the　time　of　the　outbreak　he　was　in　Norway　and　he　had　already　secured　the　promise　of　many　collections　and　the　co…operation　of　artists　of　distinction。　His　report　of　the　situation　as　he　left　it　persuaded　the　authorities　that；　in　spite　of　the　difficulties；　he　might　do　effective　work。

When　Laurvik　arrived　in　Rome　he　found　that　Captain　Baker　had　already　prepared　for　his　activities。　Ernesto　Nathan　was　devoting　himself　heart　and　soul　to　the　cause。　But　the　Italian　authorities；　for　the　most　part；　were　absorbed　in　the　questions　that　came　up　with　the　threat　of　war。　Working　with　the　committee；　and　aided　by　Ambassador　Thomas　Nelson　Page；　Laurvik　quickly　made　progress。　He　secured　magnificent　canvases　by　the　President　of　the　French　Academy　in　Rome；　Albert　Besnard；　painted；　for　the　most　part；　in　Benares；　with　scenes　on　the　Ganges；　and　a　collection　of　pieces　by　the　Norwegian　sculptor；　Lerche。



Notable　Collections



　From　Rome　Laurvik　went　to　Venice；　where　he　was　greatly　helped　by　the　American　consul；　B。　H。　Carroll；　Jr。　Though　the　International　Exhibit　held　in　Venice　every　two　years　had　closed　several　months　before；　many　of　the　works　of　art　were　still　there；　their　owners；　either　afraid　or　unable　to　take　them　away　and　yet　concerned　about　their　being　so　close　to　the　scene　of　war。　It　was　the　general　concern　that　enabled　Laurvik　to　secure　some　of　his　finest　material。　Together　with　the　Italian　work；　he　arranged　to　have　shipped　here　on　the　Jason；　Norwegian　and　Hungarian　paintings　and　fifty　canvases　by　the　man　regarded　as　the　greatest　living　painter　in　Finland；　Axel　Gallen…Kallela。　He　also　made　a　short　journey　from　Venice　to　the　home　of　Marinetti；　the　journalist；　poet　and　leader　of　the。　Italian　Futurist　painters；　who；　after　much　persuading；　promised　to　send　fifty　examples　of　the　work　done　by　the　ten　leaders　in　his　group。

On　leaving　Venice　Laurvik　started　for　Vienna。　In　spite　of　the　war；　he　was　promised　support　by　the　Minister　of　Art。　Unfortunately；　the　art　societies　fell　to　quarreling；　and　gave　little　or　no　help。　Then　Laurvik　appealed　to　the　artists　themselves。　In　Kakosha；　one　of　the　best　known　among　the　Austrian　painters；　he　found　an　ally。　The　collection　he　made　in　Vienna　included　several　of　Kakosha's　canvases；　lent　by　their　owners；　and　a　large　number　of　etchings。



The　Hungarian　Collection



In　Hungary　Laurvik　had　a　powerful　friend　in　Count　Julius　Andrassy；　a　man；　of　wealth　and　influence；　the　owner　of　one　of　the　newspapers　published　in　Budapest。　From；　his　own　collection　of　Hungarian　art　Andrassy　made　a　large　contribution　and　he　inspired　other　collectors　to　do　likewise。　The　getting　together　of　the　material　was　full　of　difficulties。　Much　of　it　had　been　taken　away　for　safekeeping。　The　museums　were　all　closed　and　some　of　their　treasures　were　buried　in　the　ground。　Already　the　Russians；　during　their　raid　on　the　Carpathian　Mountains；　had　possessed　themselves　of　rare　art　works；　some　of　the　best　canvases　cut　from　the　frames　and　carried　off　by　the　officials。　Among　the　sufferers　was　Count　Andrassy　himself；　who　lost　valuable　heirlooms　from　one　of　his　country　estates；　including　several　Titians。　In　spite　of　that　experience；　Andrassy；　refused　to　hide　his　possessions。　He　preferred　the　risk　of　losing　them　to　showing　fear；　perhaps　helping　to　start　a　panic。

The　Hungarian　collection　came　near　missing　the　Jason。　It　was　mysteriously　held　up　in　the　train　that　carried　it　through　the　Italian　territory　to　Italy；　arriving　in　Genoa　three　days　after　the　Jason　was　scheduled　to　so　sail　from　there。　But　the　Jason　happened　to　be　delayed　three　days；　too。

By　the　German　steamer；　the　〃Crown　Princess　Cecilie；〃　it　happened　that　an　interesting　collection　of　German　Paintings；　after　being　exhibited　in　the　Carnegie　Institute　of　Pittsburgh；　was　started　on　the　way　to　Germany；　but　the　war　caused　the　ship　to　return　to　an　American　port。　After　a　good　deal　of　negotiating　the　canvases　were　secured　for　the　Exposition　and　taken　off　the　ship。

On　the　opening　day　of　the　Exposition　it　was　found　that　the　Palace　of　Fine　Arts；　far　from　having　too　little　material；　had　too　much。　Not　only　were　China　and　Japan　and　several　of　the　European　nations　well　represented；　but　on　the　way　were　many　art　works　that　there　would　not　be　room　for。　The　consequence　was　that　a　new　building　had　to　be　erected。　It　was　finished　in　July　and　it　became　known　as　the　Fine　Arts　Annex。



I

The　View　From　the　Hill



〃The　best　way　to　see　the　Exposition；　in　my　opinion；〃　said　the　architect；　〃is　to　stand　on　the　top　of　the　Fillmore　Street　hill　and　look　down。　Then　you　will　find　out　what　the　architects　were　up　to。　The　finest　point　of　observation　would　be　at　the　corner　of　Divisadero　Street　and　Broadway。〃

The　next　day；　as　we　stood　at　that　point；　the　E