Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-04-25
For The Enquirer,
FOT NE
THE BRYAN GALLERY OF CHRISTIAN AIS
~ NEW YORK,


uoo,s Elitos,-Krowng your apprccative taste for the
fine srts have long had il in contemplation 10 oei !ou
some imoressions occasoned bY repealed Vlss u we ma
o,6,cnt Gallery Of Paintings The b,vau Gallery o Cs
,n ,, nov On exhibition in New York city But before
entering upon ssech il may not ne improper 10 give
tuonin. hi story of ire gallery ana its proprietor -,
MIR Bran tho pruprct Is Eause,l believe III e c''! "
ph,d,nh, HIS father, gentleman OF nnltnieh mems
moe, prrai!y prov:eh for hs son the orfofIEny o su
dy"s i, .sye To" @ fIny m Of his coeeae
Nr Iryan CON NJ large estate, alter the deah o MS
father determined peecng h5elt In tEe Knowledge
If men, as we'll ocoRs, bY becoming tor term ot years
csmnpo!it. An iver and admire Of his country,
as magnhcuut rSpanse OF territory anu scenery
in its uons he devoted much time 10 travel ana oo-
.ervaliun In native lndnot like must tourists, mink
inp there nothing Of interest value To The american
nyeer at pmc)ns also the European contlnent Alter
cong travels Interesting tons 0i EUROPE ne
finally seuled in That magnificent city, the French
metropolis EnineaY gifted by natare with taste ior Inc
fine arts painrua lrtcnar II Is natural ~ suppose he
lost opportunity OCCASION ot gratifying ana cn'v-ns
mis- critical tosrcc. An expert In connosseufsp
ne found ready a3m's='n ato tho PSae galetes anu VI
course into the public galleries..
n, p,von ia a grutlenin of TOO much appreciation for
works o. truo merit satisfied with merely l"osngupon
md adGrng The pIupcfy OF others, while ne posSts'cu h
uo mea Of becoming. their proprietor Win an accurate
and familiar acduanIInce with Tie Gt In 5 history ana
ulnurshin after orz years OF aborous study and inVes
.atIun knowing full we'll that many ut Inc WORKS OF le oo
r,ts wrc some covered in tho dust and rubbish
# ages he resolved, by art which he possesses (anu
vhch believe he disc0vrred) exhune from their resting
oaces these jewels revive and renovan theH clean OH hr
cnmnted us of neglect wipe of The crude dis6gurings
IF Vandal hands and restore o the world inc originals IN
her pristine beauty and value His exact and critical eye
would discover some small spot evidences 'a
gome unworthy paiang maste huod had toucaso' anu
fothwith that painting would become hls property ny Inc
,--'j,aloo OF the art he would 10 little while learn II hs
..iminat:sn were il so under his ia5us, the
,a wuuI burst forth and his delighted eye would
"a eDpcar colurng centuries concealed and marfed
,hougn not destroyed. rsacmber no" onc oil te oe'
ircc. In his gallery 9 head, which, when bought, was
on paanei oegtmmcd and dirty which he has trans
rrred 10 Canvass nves;ed with He m seems anos
,mmprta) Oi course often mistaken IN his oplnOn
f tho merit c. puTchlscs shown by 1he iuct tt
frcen hundred he haa ONLY retained IN nded and iy
"A rthy piece in his collection. 10 later years MS cAPe-
and kuu ledge protected him from such mlsaKes
and now his ~ G,nent OF the merit OF WORK Is
lo,mci he is rarely mstshrn Gnd he sets no limit on 'e
price paid If h wanfs IT, VIII here mention an inc''
lent iustrair: Mr. Ryan attended sale oi plc'ures He
" o:.e aornary merit, tho work pt pailer o
rnnk d worth Il s an ugly picture. This wat one ol
the vcJ few of ts great painters now 'xttn ne aeie
mined al own it, Bat Il, save himself ron osins
n-ced 10 an rx,rnyagan p.ce-0or he was well known nj
nat e.lc-hc requested friend 10 bid Tor hiH DAYS mr.
bid nd bi,un t. five huadred Goars, aud alter inat VAN
fngrr He bought II l9f .~snY @ noe pe,n w by
s .s head o! the nsnti Of snnln VILE oi fn'nP ,,
Vrlasoues whu jlrshci In lbUO. TIE pecep'ot VI h"'
So much for his sali and genius ,,,
He is us all the sons OF genius a'liess, counting t
ing all men hmscii cnnseq jtntY' oI'c" 'Do
npon oy rati:cs pictures which, y0u Know" Is iteua
trade 10 Europe Rather Than tail 10 recover @
work. he would buy qiaGtHy ot "',' NV ,anch.,aor
submit ii 10 IN, faithful ORDEAL oil MS to"c",''"e ns
and, Il worthless discard il at onc'i ol' II ~ uouo
of ils genuincnrss and merit. Is always tca1y a""
nrono, 10 publish his diuhts He far from h'ns one o
yh,-, ses,cns ve rare merit, mcrtly because ey
are his stranger entering his gallery WIZ nnu mo- n
.v.r,sl CRITIC or his uaa collection and Wi! stand amazed
learn that he VINO Is 70 Htie'eSsI "'s ~ -
turrs !. the proprietor hi'Das't.
F:om the galleries Of the wealthy and noble ne procured
many of his valuable paintings which, Thrn oouen "ee
some OF ,hen III! lightly rs!=eme1. many iT, -.
lccti.ns OF Louis Ph"rc, Mals!iai oua''o'' o' ~
Mars5.l Sepasliani, &c. ..,, ,,
Mr. Brys- has wcs,ins conhience IN ms own ais
4 in
ryl his OBJECT being, u usa bis own language, 10 mas
his collection gallery of duthoriy his character anu ,e
,ua,ion as gentleman OF hsh.toned bearing places hn
s5ovc the suspicion OF f"stins llnpos''ons on ''' Puo
&c shape and name Of ''worAs U! old n1ste's'
Indppendeni of his valuable Opinions inc eehun.
ness of the largest proportion ef MS Ua"e'y Is ~
cel.brles of the highest authority His sole OBJECT - 10
orca ,cry for imp p.oving the knowledge cuVhng 'hf
.lste refining aaJ ennobng The Hentlmen' VI 'e a.
people n the noble art nl painting he most hoe1ay %
open his collection Tie artists OF our own county hno III
vtss rhen 20 all the immunes and benefits OF such Pr
vsee =, ~, ,Lss
Any one visiting him. will find In Mr.. Bryan the r'h,eo,
plshed elegant gentleman courteous
havuu NO pcl.ure giving pleasure 10 MS rends
and visitors Win all the urb1ni:y o an American gentle
man and jnai enough e" The foreigner, "hlch twenty y
residence abroad Infused no ms manner 70 ne ds's'ao
vnr viii Fl nd Mr. EIt,, when you visit hn That You can
not spend your cisur. sc"nstc IN New ofh more agree
ably or prcftsoly ;,o. ,o,h,,s
have been bcguled say than Is proper perhaps
IN this noint of my subject from nj great admiration m e
lssrulity and muni6cence Of he gentleman VINO oos
r.c-s than all other men, Tor all other cofPoauons o ns
oa private fortune exhibit the taste and admiration
his cDunrrvmen specimens OF works OF the old masters
which are reliable and which capno be seen IN any o'
or all other galleries thus side o the aiianuc'
these lines reach his eye his pardon Tor mus pun
lcly procllmlng these thoughts, knowing as az, ~ si
modesty will shocked and surprised Ia ]ustce w. W H.
Bryan must permitted 10 say mat thls pu0nua ,,d h
entirely wjlhou, his knowledge, and know would oe
without his conseyt consulted and trust you Know NE
too well 10 suppose guilty OF PePtfa'ios PuS' "O"
So ob f mo his,ory md origin OF the Gallery and It's
n,oo,~'aTI now come 10 sp-ak of The Gllsfy ifs'E
Tho nt.nnn of r BRYAN being to Illus trate thc history
in his colIecon me earliest specimens OF hs art now
srtant The s picture Virgin and Child OF Inc
School-formaI eff souess eess much edlne ABOUT IL,
nd he,,,ao date MXC eeven hundred and sxtyour years
- To- ui.er s,anda In Ronder that this Is Yeraoe