The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-07-23
miscellaneous.
From the Bulletin Of the I'M .7rt Union Of Ns,c York
Statistics OF some OF the Collections OF the
Fine Arts Ina Great Britain.

We have compiled from 'The Works of Art and
Artists in England by G. f. Waagen, Director OF
the Royal Gallery of Berlin, published by Murray
in 1885, the following sketch Of the history of seve-
raj of the English Galleries down to that period
and also statement of the prices paid for some OF
The most valuable pictures they contain These
particulars, II not very interesting to read, may be
desirable for future reference
Henry VIII. formed the first gallery in England.
IL consisted OF one hundred and fifty pictures.
Charles l., however, established the first one upon
large scale. IL was chiefly composed of the col
lection of the Dukes of Mantua, for which ii is said
the King paid eighty thousand pounds sterling. In
this was included Raphaels "Pearl" and the Scar
toons," and Correggios famous Education of
Cupid" which latter is now in the National Gal
lery. The number of pictures in all the royal pal
aces in the time of Charles l. was thirteen hundred
and eighty-seven of works of sculpture three hum
dred and ninety-nine Many of these pictures were
of great value.
About this time also, the Earl of Arundel made
a collection of much merit, and the Duke of Buck
ingham bought Rubens' Gallery for 100000. A
great part of this was dispersed after the assassna
ton of the Duke in 1923. Ii contained an g Ecce
Homo by Titan, for which the Earl of Arundel
offered in vain seven thousand pounds sterling
In the years 1850 and 1853, the collection Of
Charles l., valued AT 49903i. s. 3D., was sold by
order Of Parliament. The sum paid for the whole
were purchased from it for the nation by Crom-
wells order, for 1901.
Charles III. increased the royal collection TO
eleven hundred pictures, and one hundred works in
sculpture. James ii. added about one hundred
more, which, however, were not remarkable The
principal gallery was in Whitehall. Some of the
most valuable Of its contents were DESTROYED when
that palace was burned in 1897.
Many private galleries have been formed since.
In the year l779, that of Sir Robert Walpole was
sold to Catherine of Russia for 30,000l After the
French Revolution, good part of the Orleans gal
lery was imported into England. Egalite sold the
whole of this magnificent collection in 1892. For
the Italian and French schools (295 pictures) he
received from Mr.. Walkners, Brussels banker,
100000 vres for the Flemish, Dutch and Ger
man schools $50, 600 francs from Mr. T. M. Slade,
an Englishman. M. Laborde de Mereve pur-
chased Walkner's pictures for 900, 900 francs but
being driven from Paris to London, he was COM
PEELED TO sell them, and they bought by Jere-
miah Hartmann for 100000. In 1898 the Duke of
Bridgewater, Earl Cover, afterwards Marquis Of
Stafford and Earle Carlisle, Obtained the same
pictures for 43, 000l They were valued separately
and exhibited. The nobemen selected for them
selves ninety four, at valuation of thirty nine
thousand guineas Others were sold afterwards at
private sale for thirty thousand guineas and the
sixty-six which remained with the exhibition mo-
ney produced 10, 000l. so the three noblemen OBJ
Slade's part of the Orleans collection brought to
London and sold in 1888
NJ. Caonne's pictures, 359 in number, and, in
deed, most of those which were dispersed by the
French Revolution, were bought up in England.
Mr.. Day, in 1878, and afterwards Messrs
Young Ottley, Buchanan, Champernowne, Wilson,
and Sloane made important acquisitions In Italy
The families Aldrobandini, Barberin, Borghese,
Colonna, Corsn Falconeri, Giuistinani, Ghigi,
and Spada, in Rome Balbi, Cambiasi, Cataneo,
Doria, Durszzo, Gentle, and Spinoa, in Genoa !;
The palace Rccardl, in Florence, the Royal palace
Capo d M,nte, in Naples lost many admirable
pictures. Many churches in Italy parted with their
altar-pieces. Most Of these found their way into
English hands.
During the French invasion, in 1907, the first OPP
portunity offered of obtaining works of art from
Spain. The expectation of pictures from thence by
native artists, had been previously prohibited. Mr.
Buchanan, and Wallis, an English landscape paint
er, obtained many in the year just mentioned.
They procured the Munllos from the palace of San
tago; many others from the collections of Alba,
Altamira, and the Prince of Peace-some even from
the Escurial.
Citizen Robit's collection sold in Paris IN
1901, and went to England Prince Talleyrand's
came into the hands of Mr. Buchanan in 1917. 1t
consisted of forty-six pictures, the greater part
being Of the Dutch school 320,00 francs were
paid for ii.
of one hundred and nnety-six pictures was brought
to London be sold and al the time the valu-
able Spanish pictures of General Sebastian and the
Chevalier de Crochart. Lastly, many were brought
by Messrs. Delahante, Erard, LIE BrIn and La
fontaine, from Paris 10 London, taken from cele-
braied collections, such those Of De Boisset, Due
de Prsslin, De Choiseu, Prince de Cont, and Pou-
lain, and the great mass which the revolution had
brought to France from other countries in Europe.
To these, add the great number Of excellent pic
fures which EnglIshmen have obtained sngly dur
Ing their travels, and those sold IN England by
dealers of less weight
The national taste has manifested itself in the
general prediction for the Flemish and Dutch
schools OF the seventeenth century, and among the
Italian schools for that Of the Carraccl. chef
ground for this is, that the English generally EN-.
poy pictures TO ornament their apartments, for
which purpose those OF the schools above mem
toned are peculiarly suitable, by their agreeable
and finished execution.
The following is a list Of the most celebrated
collections in England since the year 1892, the emu
meraton being made in the orGer in which they
became Of some importance Those Of the Duke Of
Brdgewaier, Marquis Of Stafford, Earl Carlisle,
Duke OF Buckingham, (now dispersed Ear Darn
lev, Marquis Of Lansdowne, Duke Of Richmond,
Lord Berwick, Yscount Ftzwillism, Lord Kin
nsrd, Earl Of Suffolk, Lord Northwick, Sir Abra-
ham Hume, Sir Francis Basseu, Lord Marlborough,
Lady Lucas, messrs. ftenry ana lhomas nope,
Angerstein Samuel Rogers, Hilbert, Maitland Will
let. William Smith, Elwyn Hart Davis Lord Rad
stock, Messrs. Aufrere, George Byng, Watson
Taylor, Walsh, Porter, w. Wells, Jeremiah Har-
mann, ChamperDowne, Sir Thomas Barring, Goes
welt, Sir Simon Clark, Lord Grosvenor, NOV Mar
quis Of Westminster,) Lord Dudley, Rev. Holwel
Carr, w Bedford, Duke OF Wellington, Marquis
of Londonderry, Mr.. Miles, Lord Ashburton, Sir
Robert Peel and King George Nv.
About a third Of these collections now partly
dispersed partly transferred to public institutions,
and partly become Of less importance by sale OF
some Of the pictures.
or Drawings by the Old Masters, many were OBJ
stained by Engshmen after the breaking out Of the
French Revolution. Messrs Young Ottley, Wood
born Vicar, and others, procured large collections
IN Italy Holland, and elsewhere, the greater port
Of which became afterwards the property Of s.,
Thomas Lawrence, who, II is said, expended
AOOOOl on works Of this description. The bes
known Of other important collections are those o
EsdaiIe, Ford, HILBERT, Payne, Knight, Mordaunt
Cracherode, and General Sir Charles Greyille.
or Illuminated Manuscripts, the most mportan
collections are those OF the Duke Of Devonshlre
Mr.. Coke, (Ean Leicester) Duke Of Sussex
(since soId.) Sir John Tobin, MIR Young otdey