International studio (19.1903)

GOLD BROCADE FROM DELHI

to take advantage of theopportunities
the exhibition offered them, that as
much as ^250 had been paid t<y
one firni aione for ftoor space upon
which to disptay their wares, and
this in spite of the shingent con-
dition attached to att the agreements
that no articie of European design
or manufacture should be offered
for saie.

In the loan coliection was to be
seen that extraordinary specimen of
barbaric extravagance, the Baroda
carpet, made entireiy of strings of
diamonds, rubies, and pearis, a very
cheap affair (despite its having cost
^(500,000 to make) when com-
pared with the rich and harmonious
Bijapur carpets which hung from the
adjacent waiis. The rosewood doors
inlaid with ivory from Mysore were
very fine specimens of their kind;
whiie the artns from Hyderabad, the
fabrics from Kashmir, Lucknow,

and Ahmedabad had
that subtie quality time
aione can impart, which
distinguishes ali artistic
work of the past—be it a
tiie, a sword, or a picture
—Irom the best of the
products of the present.
In surveying the whole
exhibition, what impres-
sion did it convey of the
capacity of the Indian
craftsman of to-day com-
pared with his compeer
of the past, and with his
rivais of the present?
The answer to the former
appears to be that, given
such an opportunity as
this exhibition offered,
with plenty of time to
finish his work, the
craftsman of to-day is as
capabte of equahy fine
and intricate work as he

GOLD BROCADE FROM SURAT

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