Art and Handcraft in the Woman's Building
of the World's Columbian Exposition

IN THE WOMAN’S BUILDING. Cl of a continuous exercise of them; and not only a revival, but an adaptation of them to new circumstances. Some of these arts had been practically dead for a hundred years. This consideration, while accounting for less exact execution, adds interest to the sub- ject in showing the greater breadth given to every form of art by the modern diffusion of wealth, and possible gratification of taste in the individual. While the variety of direction is narrowed by the exhibits being exclusively the work of women, enough in all lines is shown to cause surprise even in this particular; since few are aware how much artistic labor is performed by women in the new directions of designing, cutting, leading, and painting of stained glass, of designs for book-making, both covers and illustrations; of designs for textiles and wall-hangings, drawing and modeling for silver-work, and in many other directions absolutely new to women. This is seen not only in the American Section, but in those of England, France, and Germany. Those who believe in the application of the broadest and most thorough art-knowledge to mechanical processes have looked for- ward with apprehension to a collection of the work of women offered for competition and for the inspection of an art-loving world. The exhibits of the Woman’s Building are, however, entirely reassuring-, and go to show, not only that art is a heritage common to both man and woman, but that both general and particular study have gone to the accomplishment of fine results. In examples of stained glass it is especially noticeable that simplicity and strength characterize th© exhibits, and. that tlis necessities and advantcig'es of the art are well understood. Very few., of the examples suggest the amateur gloss of the woman painter; in fact the most of it shows tli6 result of Cctrsful study in a special direction, and an intention of mastery of the art as a profession. Certainly no one looking at some of these beautiful examples would characterize them as effeminate or weak. They are shown in a pavilion in the American Section, as wsll as in the Assembly Room, th© California. Room, and the Record rooms. The embroidery exhibited by the Societies of Decorative Art and the Exchanges from many of our cities is of so high an order, that even those most familiar with the subject can hardly fail to be surprised with the very large amount of first-rate work exposed. There is no single specimen of embroidery which proves more con- clusively that needlework is a. form of artistic expiession than tlie very remarkable piece of ecclesiastical embroidery, fiom that wonderful design of William Blake’s, illustrating the lines: “ When