The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-01-22

The merit OF the collection OF painting 8
belonging to Bowdoin College is not general
ly known in the State, still less IN the coun-
try. The following list Of pictures to which
great names are attached. ton what authority
we are not told) appears in a communication
printed in the last number of the Nation:
Bowdoin College has long possessed one OF
the rarest and most valuable collections oil
paintings in the country. Named for the
cOur.ly Huguenot who founded and partly
endowed it, the college received also from his
generous hand collection OF ninety paintings
which he had been gathering Tor many years
in Europe, and among which he had secured
some originals OF recognized value A later
donation, by Col. G. w. BOYD, increased the
collection TO upwards of $50 pictures. 1t is
not possible within the limits OF letter to
give any adequate description OF this gallery /:
but a few OF the pictures may be mentioned
as being of especial interest.
Rubens Is represented in this gallery by four
OF bis most successful picturesque OF Diana
and Endymion, one Of Ceres offering fruit to
Venus, one o. Achilles at the court OF Lycom-
edes in female dress, discovered by Ulysses,
according to the Unknown story, and one OF
st. Simeon in the Temple holding the child
Jesus. This last-named picture was well
W
was President OF the Royal Academy, and is
the picture referred to in his lectures as one
OF the finest examples OF Ruben's best work.
Vandyke has in this collection but a single
painting; but that is in the line in which ne
won his special renown. 1t is portrait OF a
governor Of Gibraltar. The eustodians of the
gallery have been assured that this picture
would find many purchasers in England at an
appraisal Of five or six thousand pounds.
MARY and Elizabeth, with the infants
Jesus and John," Is attributed to Raphael IL
has been pronounced by good authority as
exhibiting in certain degree all the excel
lences OF his best pictures"
The Confluence of Scipio' is a classical
painting, thought by Stuart to be an original
by Poussin, or very excellent copy In color
and attitude it is one of the richest pictures
in the collection. M
Another fine group is Venus binding Gu
pid." The painter is unknown. The picture
was brought from the Grand Dukes palace at
Florence. tH fiH+ -t 4.faa-
The gallery contains three small raintinss
from the pencil of Hogarth, Francesca Salyi-
att is represented by painting on copper OF
The Women at the Sepulchre." There is
also an infant John the Baptist" by Stella /;
one OF Snyder's famous animal pieces, and
various works of painters less widely known
The collection Is rich In portraits; besides the
one already mentioned by Vandyke, there is
an original likeness of Mirabeau, portrait OF
Savonarola, one Of Lorenzo de- Medici, one OF
Garrick, and one lsupposed) of Kepler. rhere
Is genuine Copley, a portrait OF Thomas
Fluker, a secretary OF the province OF Nassa-
ehusetts, ana portraits by Stuart OF Presidents
Monroe and Jefferson. sEf
These art treasures may well have escaped
the notice of even weltintormed people, and
perhaps have remained unappreciated and
almost unknown to some of Bowdoin's own
children, Sine they have been cooped up in
gallery so iltarrangei that they cou d not
properly be said to be son exhibition" at all.
Tie Memorial Hall, which is projected, and
for which ground is already broken, win afford
them accommodation where their merits can
be both discoverable and accessible.